Samsung Electronics announced today a deep integration of Perplexity AI into its upcoming Galaxy S26 series, introducing a new voice command, “Hey Plex,” designed to activate the AI platform. The move signals a significant shift in Samsung’s approach to artificial intelligence on mobile devices, moving beyond standalone features toward a multi-agent system.
The integration will allow Galaxy S26 users to invoke Perplexity within core Samsung applications, including Notes, Calendar, Gallery, Clock, and Reminders, as well as select third-party apps. According to Samsung, Perplexity will function as a system-level agent, capable of completing multi-step tasks without requiring users to constantly switch between applications. For example, a user could instruct the device to “Plan a follow-up for my client call,” and the system would pull information from meeting notes, create a reminder, suggest calendar times, and attach relevant images.
This development comes as user reliance on multiple AI agents increases. Samsung cites data indicating that nearly 80% of users now utilize more than two different AI tools, choosing specific platforms based on the task at hand. The company’s strategy aims to provide a seamless experience for users navigating this multi-agent landscape.
Perplexity will operate alongside Samsung’s existing AI assistant, Bixby, which is also undergoing upgrades to become a more conversational device control agent. Samsung emphasized that Perplexity is not intended to replace Bixby, but rather to complement its capabilities. Users will be able to activate Perplexity either through the “Hey Plex” voice command or by pressing and holding the side button on the device.
The integration of Perplexity is not simply a pre-loaded application, but a foundational change to the Galaxy AI framework, granting the AI access to on-device context with user permissions. This system-level access enables background processes that previously required manual intervention. Samsung has not yet detailed the extent of data access granted to Perplexity, nor specified which third-party applications will be supported at launch.
Samsung’s announcement follows earlier reports in January regarding the “Hey Plex” voice commands. The company has hinted that the Perplexity integration may eventually extend to other Galaxy devices beyond the S26 series, though no specific timeline has been provided.
