Samsung Reportedly Partnering with Perplexity to Upgrade Bixby Assistant

Samsung Plans Major Bixby Overhaul with Perplexity Integration

Samsung is reportedly preparing a significant upgrade to its Bixby voice assistant by partnering with AI search company Perplexity, according to reports from multiple sources. The move marks a notable strategic shift for Samsung, which has heavily integrated Google's Gemini AI across its Galaxy device lineup.

How the Integration Would Work

According to tipster @chunvn8888, the upgraded Bixby would operate on a hybrid model:

• Basic tasks: Bixby would continue handling simple on-device requests like toggling settings and activating system features
• Complex queries: Perplexity's AI models would power more sophisticated tasks involving complex reasoning and advanced information retrieval

This approach closely mirrors Apple's AI strategy with its own voice assistant, suggesting Samsung is following a similar path of combining on-device processing with cloud-based AI capabilities.

Timeline and Availability

The enhanced Bixby assistant could debut with the Galaxy S26 series, though Samsung has not officially confirmed these plans. The timing would align with Samsung's typical flagship release cycle.

Why It Matters for Galaxy Users

For years, Bixby has been considered the least competitive of the major voice assistants, often criticized for its limited capabilities compared to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. A partnership with Perplexity could dramatically improve Bixby's usefulness by:

• Providing more accurate and comprehensive answers to complex questions
• Enhancing natural language understanding
• Better competing with Google Assistant and other AI-powered assistants

The decision to partner with Perplexity rather than further integrating Google's Gemini suggests Samsung wants to maintain more control over its assistant experience and differentiate its devices from standard Android offerings.

Samsung has not officially commented on these reports, and details about pricing or specific features remain unconfirmed.