Samsung powers Galaxy S26 with Perplexity AI, adding “Hey Plex” to its voice suite.

Samsung’s integration of Perplexity AI marks the first system‑level deployment of a third‑party large‑language model on a flagship Android handset. In a press release, Samsung said the “Hey Plex” hotword will launch Perplexity on the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, positioning the service alongside Google’s “Hey Google” and Samsung’s own “Hey Bixby” voice assistants (9to5Google). The company frames the move as part of an “open and inclusive integrated AI ecosystem” that lets users invoke whichever agent best fits the task, a strategy it says reflects the reality that “nearly 8 in 10 users now rely on more than two types of AI agents” (9to5Google).

Perplexity will be pre‑installed on the S26 and can be summoned either by voice (“Hey Plex”) or by pressing and holding the side button, according to Samsung’s documentation (9to5Google). Once active, the AI is embedded across a suite of native Samsung apps—including Notes, Clock, Gallery, Reminder, and Calendar—and is also slated for integration with select third‑party applications. Samsung claims this deep embedding enables “multi‑step workflows,” allowing users to move fluidly between tasks without manually switching apps (9to5Google). The company has not disclosed whether the Perplexity integration will be exclusive to Samsung devices or if the same model will be offered on other Android OEMs.

The addition of Perplexity expands Samsung’s broader “Galaxy AI” roadmap, which has been gradually shifting from a Bixby‑centric approach to a more pluralistic model. Earlier this year, Samsung announced a “reboot” of Bixby that would incorporate external AI agents, and the Perplexity hotword appears to be the first concrete manifestation of that plan (9to5Google). By treating Perplexity as a system‑level service rather than a standalone app, Samsung aims to give the model the same privileged access to hardware accelerators and low‑latency pipelines that Google’s own Gemini‑based services enjoy. This could narrow the performance gap that has traditionally favored Google’s native assistant on Android devices.

Industry observers note that Samsung’s multi‑agent strategy mirrors moves by other hardware makers to hedge against the dominance of Google’s AI stack. TechCrunch has reported that Samsung “may incorporate Perplexity’s AI tech” as part of a broader effort to diversify its AI partnerships, though it stopped short of confirming any exclusive licensing terms [TechCrunch]. The Verge’s coverage of Samsung’s AI ambitions similarly highlights the company’s desire to offer “a richer and more flexible AI experience” by layering third‑party models onto its devices [The Verge]. While the articles do not provide performance benchmarks, the implication is that Samsung hopes to differentiate its flagship lineup by offering users choice rather than a single, Google‑controlled assistant.

Analysts are watching how the “Hey Plex” rollout will affect user engagement metrics, especially given that Samsung’s own Bixby has struggled to achieve parity with Google Assistant in market share. By positioning Perplexity as a complementary agent rather than a replacement, Samsung may sidestep the perception that it is abandoning Bixby, while still delivering a more capable conversational experience. However, the success of the multi‑agent ecosystem will hinge on seamless handoff between assistants, consistent privacy policies, and the ability of third‑party models to operate offline or with minimal latency—a challenge that has yet to be demonstrated at scale.

If the integration proves smooth, Samsung could set a precedent for other OEMs to adopt a similar “plug‑and‑play” approach to AI agents, effectively turning smartphones into platforms for competing large‑language models. For now, the “Hey Plex” hotword is the most visible sign that Samsung is serious about moving beyond a single‑assistant paradigm, and the Galaxy S26 will be the first test case for how well a multi‑agent ecosystem can deliver on that promise.