Samsung in Advanced Talks to Integrate Perplexity AI, Eyes Major Investment

Samsung is reportedly in deep discussions with US startup Perplexity AI to fully embed its conversational search technology into the Samsung smartphone ecosystem, potentially beginning with Galaxy handsets from as early as 2025 and rolling out more broadly with the Galaxy S26 series in early 2026. The sector says that Perplexity AI could replace Google's Gemini assistant on Samsung's web browser, operating system layers, and its Bixby voice assistant, marking a strategic move to reduce reliance on Google's services and diversify Samsung's AI prowess.

Sources say as part of the terms of the deal, Samsung will preload Perplexity Assistant software on upcoming Galaxy phones and update current AI features with Perplexity's "answer engine," which aggregates a number of large language models to deliver instant, summarized answers. Perplexity's funding round for about $500 million at a $14 billion valuation could have Samsung emerge as a major investor, after early backing via its Samsung NEXT arm. Analysts have argued that the investment would cement Samsung's efforts to build a standalone AI value chain, rather than being wedded to Google's search and AI stack.

Samsung executives are said to regard this partnership as strategic amid rising competition: Android OEMs need to innovate with AI as a means to rebuff Google's dominance, and consumers are increasingly demanding more capable on-device assistants. Through Perplexity's multi-modal capabilities such as visual analysis and app-to-app task execution. Samsung aims to deliver a more unified AI experience in search, browsing, and voice interaction, setting the stage for its future Galaxy hardware and software generation.

If it's done, the alliance would be a significant change in Samsung's AI strategy that might dramatically alter the game between device makers and search-engine companies. With its estimated investment of up to $500 million and convergence on critical features, Samsung aims to place itself at the forefront of mobile AI innovation, giving end users seamless access to advanced conversational search without relying on traditional search engines