The most important tech partnership of 2025 might be happening right under our noses, disguised as just another corporate deal. Samsung's reported investment talks with Perplexity AI represent far more than a simple business arrangement—they signal the beginning of the end of Google's monopolistic stranglehold on mobile AI.
According to Bloomberg, Samsung is nearing a wide-ranging deal to invest in Perplexity AI and integrate the startup's search technology into Samsung devices, potentially making it the default AI assistant on the Galaxy S26 series launching in early 2026. The companies are discussing preloading Perplexity's app and assistant on upcoming Samsung devices and integrating the startup's search features into Samsung's web browser, with talks also covering weaving Perplexity's technology into Samsung's Bixby virtual assistant.
This isn't just about corporate strategy—it's about consumer choice finally returning to mobile AI.
For years, Android users have been trapped in Google's AI ecosystem, whether they wanted to be or not. Gemini comes preloaded, Google Assistant dominates voice interactions, and Google Search powers virtually every query. Samsung's pivot toward Perplexity represents the first serious challenge to this hegemony from a major device manufacturer.
Perplexity is raising $500 million at a $14 billion valuation, demonstrating that investors now see rising potential in AI-driven search that challenges Google's dominance. Unlike Google's ad-laden, SEO-manipulated results, Perplexity offers a cleaner, more focused search experience that provides direct answers with verifiable sources. Users who've switched to Perplexity for research report that it provides more accurate data and can cite sources, making it especially valuable for complex queries that require verification.
The timing couldn't be more perfect. As one expert noted, "Google has been slowly losing its mojo for a while," with search results increasingly overflowing with ads and wrong answers. Perplexity's approach—providing detailed responses with exact sources—offers users what Google search used to provide before advertising revenue became the primary concern.
Samsung is following Apple's diversification strategy, working with multiple AI providers rather than betting everything on one partner. Just as Apple integrates ChatGPT into Siri while keeping options open for Google Gemini integration, Samsung is positioning itself to offer users genuine choice in AI assistants. This multi-AI approach reduces dependency on any single provider and gives Samsung leverage in negotiations.
The partnership could help Samsung reduce its reliance on Google's Gemini AI, with the collaboration potentially unveiled as early as this year. Samsung plans to make Perplexity a default assistant option on the Galaxy S26, which represents a seismic shift for Android's AI ecosystem. As one industry observer noted during recent antitrust testimony, "We've been pretty impressed with what Perplexity has done, so we've started some discussions with them about what they're doing."
Perplexity's integration promises to transform how Galaxy users interact with their devices. Instead of Gemini's sometimes sluggish and ad-influenced responses, users will get Perplexity's signature focused answers that prioritize utility and transparency. For research, fact-checking, and complex queries, Perplexity provides what Google search used to offer: reliable information without the noise.
The partnership discussions include integrating Perplexity into Samsung Internet and powering some of Bixby's features, creating a cohesive AI experience across Samsung's ecosystem. Users could finally have an AI assistant that answers questions directly rather than directing them to websites filled with SEO-optimized content designed more for advertising revenue than user value.
Samsung isn't alone in recognizing Perplexity's potential. Apple has thought about adding Perplexity as a search engine option to Safari, and Motorola recently announced a partnership to power AI features with Perplexity. The 2025 Razr series are the first phones with Perplexity's AI app preinstalled, proving that device manufacturers are ready to move beyond Google's AI monopoly.
This competitive pressure is exactly what the AI ecosystem needs. When one company controls both the operating system and the AI assistant, innovation stagnates and user choice disappears. Samsung's potential Perplexity integration forces Google to compete on merit rather than rely on platform dominance.
The Samsung-Perplexity partnership represents something bigger than corporate maneuvering—it's about restoring user agency in the AI age. Users shouldn't have to accept whatever AI assistant comes preloaded simply because it's integrated with their operating system. They should have genuine alternatives that compete on quality, accuracy, and user experience.
As Perplexity continues its rapid growth—handling 250 million queries monthly and seeing sevenfold revenue increases this year—it's proving that users want alternatives to Google's ad-centric search model. When given a choice between AI that serves advertising goals and AI that serves user needs, the preference is clear.
The collaboration could be announced later this year, potentially reshaping Android's AI experience starting with the Galaxy S26 series. If successful, other manufacturers will likely follow Samsung's lead, creating a genuinely competitive AI ecosystem where user experience matters more than advertising revenue.
We're witnessing the first cracks in Google's AI monopoly, and Samsung is leading the charge toward a more diverse, user-friendly AI future. About time.