Samsung taps Perplexity AI to power Bixby in Galaxy S26, following Apple’s hybrid AI strategy

Samsung is set to integrate Perplexity AI into its voice assistant Bixby for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, adopting a hybrid approach similar to Apple’s AI strategy for Siri.

According to leaker @chunvn8888, Bixby will continue handling simple, on-device tasks like adjusting settings, while complex queries and content generation will be offloaded to Perplexity’s AI—mirroring Apple’s use of on-device models for basic functions and OpenAI’s ChatGPT for advanced reasoning.

The integration aims to significantly improve Bixby’s responsiveness and intelligence. Samsung plans to unveil the upgraded assistant at the Galaxy S26 launch event.

While Apple is also investing heavily in its own large language models—with a cloud-based reasoning model expected by 2026—it currently relies on external partners like OpenAI for high-level AI tasks. Samsung’s move signals its intent to accelerate AI competitiveness through strategic partnerships.