THE NEXT GALAXY

“Hey Plex”: Why Samsung is Letting a New AI Into Your Galaxy

Samsung’s new “Multi-Agent” strategy is a gamble that we don’t want just one AI — we want a specialized team.

Imagine waking up, muttering a half-asleep “Hey Plex,” and having your phone whisper back a summary of your morning meetings, a weather-check for your commute, and a reminder to grab that specific folder you mentioned in a Note last night.

Why Samsung is Letting a New AI Into Your Galaxy(Image by author)

No app switching. No “hallucinating” facts. Just a phone that actually understands what you need.

This morning (February 23, 2026), Samsung officially pulled back the curtain on its newest partnership. Ahead of the Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25, they’ve confirmed that Perplexity AI is being woven directly into the core of the Galaxy S26 series.

This isn’t just a new voice assistant; it’s a fundamental shift in how we use our phones. Samsung is moving away from the “one AI to rule them all” approach and toward what they call a Multi-Agent Ecosystem.

The End of the- Single Assistant Era

For years, we’ve been forced to choose: Bixby, Google Assistant, or Gemini. But Samsung’s internal research found something fascinating — 80% of us are already “AI polygamists.” We use Gemini for writing, ChatGPT for brainstorming, and Perplexity for research.

Samsung’s response? “Fine. Have all of them.”

In One UI 8.5, Galaxy AI acts as the “Orchestrator.” It sits in the background and routes your requests to the best tool for the job.

• Need to dim the lights or set a timer? Bixby handles it.
• Need to write a creative email? Gemini takes the wheel.
• Need a factual answer with real-world sources? That’s where “Hey Plex” comes in.

Why Perplexity?

Perplexity has exploded in popularity because it doesn’t just “guess” the answer; it searches the live web and cites its sources. By embedding this at the system level, Samsung is giving the Galaxy S26 a “search brain” that is more reliable than anything we’ve seen in a mobile device.

It’s integrated deeply into the apps you use most:

• Samsung Notes: It can pull context from your jotted ideas to answer questions.
• Gallery: It can help you find info based on your photos (like identifying a landmark or a product).
• Calendar & Reminders: It can manage multi-step workflows, like finding a flight and automatically adding the details to your schedule.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Perplexity AI Integration: “Hey Plex” Guide(Ai image)

How to Use “Hey Plex”

When the S26 ships, you won’t have to dig for an app. You can summon Perplexity in two ways:

1. The Voice Command: A simple “Hey Plex” (it coexists perfectly with “Hi Bixby”).
2. The Side Button: You can now map a long-press of the power button to launch Perplexity directly.

My Take: Is This Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen?

There’s a risk here. Having Bixby, Gemini, and Perplexity all living in one phone sounds like a recipe for a cluttered mess. However, if Samsung’s “Orchestrator” works — if the phone is smart enough to know which AI I need without me telling it — then this is the first time a “Smart Phone” actually feels smart.

Samsung is betting that in 2026, we don’t want a digital servant; we want a digital team. And honestly? I think they’re right.

What about you? Are you excited to have a specialized “Researcher” like Perplexity built into your phone, or are we hitting “AI Overload”? Drop a comment below — I’m curious to see which agent you think you’ll use the most.