Samsung expands Galaxy AI with multiple agents

Samsung is preparing to add Perplexity’s artificial intelligence agent to its upcoming Galaxy S26 smartphones, marking a significant expansion of its Galaxy AI platform. The integration is expected to be announced in detail at Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event, which is scheduled to take place shortly, as the company continues to refine its approach to on-device and cloud-based AI services.

The Perplexity agent will be built into Galaxy AI and designed to work alongside Samsung’s existing AI tools, including its updated Bixby assistant. Samsung has said the goal is to support multiple AI agents within a single system, allowing users to choose how they interact with their devices and which tools they prefer for different tasks.

According to Samsung, the Perplexity agent will work with core Samsung apps such as Notes, Clock, Gallery, Reminder and Calendar. The company has also indicated that some third-party apps will be supported, although it has not yet confirmed which developers or services will be included at launch. This suggests that Samsung is aiming to position Galaxy AI as a broader platform rather than a single assistant, similar to recent moves by other smartphone makers to integrate several AI models.

Won-Joon Choi, President, Chief Operating Officer and Head of the R&D Office for Samsung’s Mobile eXperience Business, said the company is focusing on flexibility and user choice. “Galaxy AI acts as an orchestrator, bringing together different forms of AI into a single, natural, cohesive experience,” Choi said. He added that the expansion is intended to give users more options for completing everyday tasks on their devices.

How Perplexity will work on Galaxy devices

The Perplexity agent is expected to be activated using the wake phrase “Hey Plex”, which Samsung says should not be confused with the Plex streaming service. Users will also be able to trigger the agent through quick-access physical controls on supported devices, offering an alternative to voice commands.

Perplexity is best known for its AI-powered search and conversational tools, which provide direct answers to questions and link to source material. By integrating the agent into Galaxy AI, Samsung appears to be aiming to enhance how users search for information, organise content and manage daily activities across Samsung’s apps.

The company has not yet explained how Perplexity will interact with Bixby or whether users will be able to choose a default assistant. However, the mention of Galaxy AI as an “orchestrator” suggests that Samsung may allow multiple agents to work together, with the system deciding which tool is best suited for a given request.

Samsung’s broader strategy reflects a growing trend in the tech industry, where companies are moving away from single-assistant models towards ecosystems that support multiple AI services. This approach could help Samsung compete with rivals that are integrating large language models and third-party AI tools into their platforms.

Details on pricing, availability and regional rollout have not been disclosed. It is also unclear whether the Perplexity integration will be exclusive to the Galaxy S26 series at launch or be extended to older Galaxy devices via software updates.

Partnership background and ongoing controversies

Samsung and Perplexity first announced a partnership in 2025 to integrate Perplexity’s AI search technology into Samsung smart TVs. That earlier collaboration signalled Samsung’s interest in bringing external AI providers into its ecosystem, rather than relying solely on in-house solutions.

The move to include Perplexity on flagship smartphones represents a deeper level of integration and could increase the visibility of the AI company’s technology. However, the partnership comes at a time when Perplexity has faced scrutiny over its data practices and content sourcing.

Some publishers have accused Perplexity of scraping content without permission and infringing copyright. In 2025, the company was sued by Merriam-Webster and Encyclopaedia Britannica, highlighting growing tensions between AI developers and content owners. These disputes have raised questions about how AI-generated answers are sourced and whether they respect intellectual property rights.

Samsung has not commented on these legal issues in the context of its partnership with Perplexity. The company is likely to focus on user experience and functionality, while leaving legal and regulatory concerns to Perplexity and the wider industry.

As AI becomes a core feature of smartphones, partnerships between device makers and AI companies are expected to become more common. Samsung’s decision to integrate Perplexity into Galaxy AI suggests that the company sees value in offering multiple AI options, even as the sector faces ongoing debates over ethics, copyright and data use.

The Galaxy S26 series is expected to be unveiled soon, and further details about the Perplexity integration, supported apps and user controls are likely to be revealed at Samsung’s upcoming event.