Samsung Electronics is said to have been deep in talks to acquire an AI startup named Perplexity, which could have broad implications for the field of within consumer electronics products.
A potential deal could represent a strategic reversal for Samsung, which is looking to expand its AI offerings and potentially cut down on its dependence on existing tie-ups, such as its longstanding relationship with Google.
According to sources, an agreement that has already been agreed to, though has yet to be confirmed, will have Perplexity’s AI-powered search app and assistant preinstalled on upcoming and future Samsung Galaxy handsets, with the first handsets likely to be the equally hotly anticipated Galaxy S26 series in H1 2026.
Distancing it from a mere pre-install, the discussions are reportedly to include more extensive integrations with Perplexity’s search capabilities within the Samsung browser proper and even improvements to Samsung’s custom virtual assistant, Bixby.
This potential partnership is seen as an important milestone for Samsung as it tries to develop a more complete and self-sustaining AI ecology. Samsung has long relied on Google’s AI services, like Gemini, to fuel the Galaxy AI features.
With Perplexity in house, Samsung may be able to provide users with non-Google AI options as well as a potentially more straightforward and contextual conversational search experience.
This would have represented the biggest ever mobile tie-up for Perplexity, with huge international exposure through Samsung’s large number of users worldwide. The start-up, which has recently struck a deal with Motorola, is said to be in talks to raise $500 million at a value of $14 billion, with Samsung as a significant investor in this funding round.
And the potential deal would have wider implications than just for the two companies. That reflects a wider dynamic at tech giants of forming multi-partner AI strategies, rather than relying on one provider.
This kind of approach, similar to Apple’s probes of Perplexity and its current OpenAI integration, might help to spur greater innovation and user choice in the fast-moving AI world. The details are still being finalised, but an official announcement is scheduled later this year, paving the way for a fresh age of AI applications for Samsung devices.
