Samsung unveiled a new vision for artificial intelligence integration with its Galaxy S26 series at Galaxy Unpacked 2026 in San Francisco on February 25th, aiming to move beyond reactive AI to a more proactive, “agentic” system. The company is positioning Galaxy AI as an intuitive assistant designed to anticipate user needs and operate seamlessly in the background.
Speaking after the Unpacked event, Won-Joon Choi, Chief Operating Officer of Samsung’s Mobile Experience division, acknowledged the significant progress made with Galaxy AI since its launch two years ago, encompassing features like translation, transcription, and AI-powered photo editing. Though, he emphasized a continued commitment to improvement. “As head of R&D, I am always looking for improvements,” Choi stated, adding that Samsung remains focused on “the use cases that really matter to people.”
Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe’s Director of Marketing, elaborated on the shift towards proactive AI, describing the ambition to create an “invisible friend” that operates without constant user prompting. This vision, exemplified by the new Now Nudge feature in One UI 8.5, aims to provide relevant suggestions and shortcuts based on conversational context, streamlining tasks without requiring users to switch between applications. “Currently, AI is rather reactive, you have to ask it to do something. We want it to be proactive, operating in the background,” Braun explained.
The move towards agentic AI, capable of handling complex, multi-step tasks, is being facilitated through expanded partnerships. Samsung is integrating Google’s Gemini AI alongside its existing Bixby assistant, and has added Perplexity to the ecosystem, accessible via the “Hey, Plex” wake phrase. A beta feature launching initially in the US and Korea allows users to delegate tasks like ordering rides or groceries to Gemini through a long press of the side button, with the AI operating in the background while the phone remains available for other uses. Users can monitor progress and intervene at any time.
Samsung’s commitment to AI extends to enhanced privacy features within the Galaxy S26 series, though specific details were not immediately available. The company highlighted Reach, Openness, and Confidence as core pillars guiding its AI development. Alongside the S26 series, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro, further integrating AI capabilities into its broader product ecosystem.
The Galaxy S26 series – including the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra – are now available for pre-order, priced at €999, €1,269, and €1,469 respectively.
