Samsung Galaxy S26 Will Come With New Bixby Based On AI Perplexity

JAKARTA - Samsung is reportedly preparing a big breakthrough at digital assistant Bixby ahead of the launch of the Galaxy S26 series in 2026. After years of drowning and being less relevant, Bixby is reportedly going to get a major increase through the integration of Perplexity AI technology. This is a strategic move that Samsung has cited as Samsung's attempt to reduce its dependence on Google services, particularly Gemini.

This rumor first circulated through a report that said Samsung plans to overhaul Bixby's total capabilities. Over the past few years, the company has more highlighted Google Gemini as a leading feature on Galaxy devices even making it one of the main selling points. However, if this latest information is correct, that direction could soon change.

The integration of Perplexity AI is said to be dividing the tasks of artificial intelligence on Samsung devices. Bixby will still handle basic commands running locally, such as making reminders, setting alarms, or running simple device controls.

Meanwhile, Perplexity's big language model (LLM) will take over more complex tasks, such as in-depth search for information, smart summary, or advanced questions that require AI analysis.

This approach is similar to Apple's strategy through Apple Intelligence in collaboration with ChatGPT to handle tougher generating tasks. In this way, Samsung can make a big leap on AI capabilities without completely handing its ecosystem over to Google. In addition, this step can create a more flexible and competitive multi-partner system.

Signs of Samsung and Perplexity collaboration have actually begun to appear since the beginning of the year. Samsung had provided a one-year free access to the Perplexity Pro service worth about $200 to Galaxy users in the United States, a move that now looks like an attempt to get users used to the service.

Samsung has also presented a new version of Bixby on their smart TV line through the Vision AI feature, which is said to be leveraging a combined AI model from Perplexity and Microsoft.

Overall, this strategy is seen as a form of Samsung's encouragement to acquire greater autonomy in its AI ecosystem. So far, the company has relied heavily on Google services, and the integration of Perplexity has the potential to pave the way for a more varied and independent AI experience.

However, it is unlikely that Samsung will completely leave Gemini. What is more likely to happen is a multi-AI approach, providing users with various options and expanding device capabilities.

How are the results? It will all depend on the success of Bixby's new version of the Galaxy S26 debut. If this upgrade is able to bring a stronger and more relevant AI experience, Bixby has the opportunity to return to being an important player in digital assistant competition in the era of generative artificial intelligence.