In June 2025 Bloomberg reported that Samsung was close to a wide-ranging deal with Perplexity AI: an investment in the start-up plus integration of Perplexity's AI search into Samsung phones, its web browser and possibly the Bixby assistant. At the time the deal was not finalised and neither company had confirmed it. This post records what was reported then, why it mattered, and (in a dated update) what Samsung later confirmed for the Galaxy S26.
Key takeaways
- Bloomberg reported on 2 June 2025 that Samsung was nearing a deal to invest in Perplexity and build its AI into Samsung devices.
- Reported elements: Perplexity's app and assistant preloaded on new devices, its search in the Samsung browser, and its technology inside Bixby.
- Ars Technica suggested Perplexity could become a default assistant option on the Galaxy S26, putting pressure on Google's Gemini.
- In June 2025 nothing was final. In February 2026 Samsung confirmed Perplexity as an additional AI agent on the Galaxy S26 (see the update below).
What was reported in June 2025
Samsung appeared to be close to a wide-ranging deal with Perplexity AI, involving investment and the integration of Perplexity's AI search technology into Samsung devices such as smartphones and the Bixby assistant. Reports said it could be announced soon, possibly making Perplexity a default option in the Galaxy S26 series the following year. It was a big move that might shake up the AI assistant market, especially against Google's Gemini, but it was not finalised, so there was uncertainty.
One of the most notable scoops in tech news at the time was this reported deal between Samsung Electronics and Perplexity AI, a start-up specialising in AI search. According to a Bloomberg report dated 2 June 2025, titled "Samsung Nears Wide-Ranging Deal With Perplexity for AI Features", Samsung was nearing a comprehensive partnership that included investing in Perplexity and integrating its AI technology into Samsung's devices. The deal was reported to involve:
- preloading Perplexity's app and assistant on upcoming Samsung devices;
- integrating Perplexity's search features into the Samsung web browser;
- potentially building Perplexity's technology into the Bixby virtual assistant.
Why it mattered
The development was significant because it could challenge Google's position in AI assistants on Samsung devices. As noted in an Ars Technica article dated 3 June 2025, titled "Samsung could drop Google Gemini in favor of Perplexity for Galaxy S26", the deal might make Perplexity the default assistant option in the Galaxy S26 series, expected to launch in the first half of 2026. This was particularly noteworthy given Google's financial arrangements with Samsung, under which Google pays for default placement of Gemini, as revealed in the US antitrust proceedings against Google.
For the chip and device industry there is a wider point. As assistants move from cloud-only to a mix of on-device and cloud processing, the choice of assistant affects what the phone's SoC and its AI accelerator are asked to run, and which company controls the user's search and query traffic. A deal like this is as much about distribution as about technology.
Market reaction at the time
An X post by @StockMKTNewz on 2 June 2025 at 00:59 UTC highlighted the news, stating, "Samsung is reportedly nearing wide-ranging deal with Perplexity to invest in the startup and integrate its AI tech into Samsung's devices - Bloomberg." Replies to the post, such as one from @AntonyBonaparte, suggested this could "kneecap Gemini's momentum in consumer devices if Samsung gets bolder", showing that observers expected a competitive shift. However, the deal was not finalised and details could still change.
Update: what Samsung confirmed for the Galaxy S26
Added later, as reported in February 2026: ahead of the Galaxy S26 launch, Samsung confirmed that the S26 series would support Perplexity as an additional AI agent, with its own "Hey Plex" wake phrase alongside the existing Google and Bixby options. Reports said Perplexity would handle web-grounded questions and work with some built-in Samsung apps, while Bixby kept device actions. Coverage described Perplexity as an addition rather than a replacement for Gemini, so the June 2025 suggestion that Samsung might drop Gemini did not happen in that form, at least at launch. Whether Samsung also invested in Perplexity, as first reported, was not confirmed in the coverage seen for this update.
FAQ
Did Samsung replace Google Gemini with Perplexity?
Not as of the Galaxy S26 announcements in February 2026. Perplexity was added as another assistant option alongside Gemini and Bixby.
Who first reported the Samsung and Perplexity deal?
Bloomberg, on 2 June 2025. Ars Technica and others followed with analysis the next day.
Was the investment part of the deal confirmed?
The investment was part of the original Bloomberg report. The later device announcements covered the integration; the investment was not confirmed in those reports.
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