While Samsung is setting up the stage to launch its Galaxy S26 series phones next month. There are some early indications that suggest that the main focus this year will be on AI. According to recent executive comments, earnings call statements, and firmware leaks, the Galaxy S26 is reportedly focused on on-device AI, multi-assistant support, and deeper system-level intelligence.
However, there’s a lot of buzz on the internet regarding the forthcoming S26 series. That’s why I went through all the details and found three big AI upgrades that are expected to arrive with Samsung’s next line of flagship devices.
Support for Multiple Third-Party AI Assistants
Till date, we get a single assistant on our smartphones usually its Google, or Siri in case of iPhones. But it looks like the South Korean conglomerate is going to change this aspect.
Samsung is said to be moving away from a single-assistant approach. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Samsung’s Mobile Experience Division President and COO Choi Won-Joon reportedly confirmed that the Galaxy S26 series will push for “diverse AI agents.”
According to him, Samsung is in discussions with multiple AI vendors to bring support for several third-party AI assistants beyond Google Gemini.
If this turns out to be true, then the Galaxy S26 users will be able to switch between different AI chatbots based on their requirements directly on the device. For example, one assistant might be better at creative writing, while another could focus on research or productivity tasks.
Perplexity AI Integration and a Major Bixby Upgrade
Another big rumour around the upcoming S26 series is that it’s likely to have deeper integration with Perplexity AI. Reports indicate that Samsung is close to finalizing a wide-ranging partnership with Perplexity AI. As part of this deal, Perplexity is expected to become a default or highly prominent assistant on the S26 devices.
Apart from that, there are reports claiming that Perplexity could power a redesigned version of Bixby. Which means Bixby could get a real-time search, reasoning, and more accurate responses with citations, which are areas where Perplexity is already known to perform well.
So if these reports turn out to be true, then Bixby could finally overcome its long-standing criticism around Bixby’s limited usefulness compared to other assistants.
Furthermore, leaks from One UI 8.5 test firmware mention a “big Galaxy AI push,” including agentic AI features. These features are expected to allow the assistant to handle multi-step tasks autonomously, such as searching, summarizing, and acting on information across apps.
Next-Gen On-Device AI With a Custom Chipset and Camera Upgrades
Samsung has also hinted at some big hardware-level AI improvements for the S26 lineup. During Samsung’s Q3 2025 earnings call, Vice President Daniel Araujo reportedly stated that the S26 series will feature “next-gen AI” powered by a second-generation custom application processor. He also mentioned new camera sensors designed to deliver a “revolutionized user experience.”
On the camera side, these AI upgrades are said to improve computational photography. This could include better low-light performance, smarter scene detection, faster image processing, and more advanced video improvements. Since the AI runs on-device, these features are expected to work even without an internet connection.
This suggests that Samsung is doubling down on on-device AI rather than relying only on cloud-based processing. With a custom chip, the S26 lineup is expected to handle more AI tasks locally, improving speed, privacy, and reliability.
That’s all for now. But do keep in mind that all these details are based on leaks, reports, and executive comments. Which means we will have to wait till the official Galaxy Unpacked Event 2026 to see what Samsung has in the bag for the upcoming S26 lineup.
