Galaxy AI

Galaxy AI is the steady, intelligent backbone of the S26. It’’s woven throughout the device, noticing what you’re doing and offering just the right kind of help at the right moment with context‑aware nudges, shortcuts, and creative suggestions when you need them. With Now Nudge, it recognises what’s on your screen to provide useful prompts—like quick links to your Calendar or Gallery—making day-to-day tasks even simpler.

Certain capabilities appear as a Galaxy AI icon on the screen; tap it, and you’ll see a set of relevant actions tailored to the task at hand, ready to complete in an instant. These features can be customised to your preferences, adapting to how you work, communicate and create.

Galaxy AI seamlessly enhances your overall experience by helping your device better understand you, anticipate your needs, and streamline everyday tasks: resulting in a phone that feels as organised, creative, and capable as you are.

Image courtesy of samsung.com

Bixby

Samsung’s hands-free voice assistant Bixby received a noticeable upgrade in understanding for the S26 series. Instead of relying on rigid commands, you can now speak casually in a way that feels like a real conversation.

This version of Bixby understands context and can use advanced reasoning models to provide up-to-date answers based on real information, no matter your question. If you need technical support, Bixby can effortlessly explain how your specific device works, guide you through settings, or troubleshoot issues.

Image courtesy of samsung.com

Gemini

With Gemini, Samsung embeds Google’s powerful AI model directly into the device to take tedious tasks off your hands.

With a simple long press of the side button, you can offhand tasks like reordering food, booking a ride or handling app actions that would normally require tapping through menus. While Gemini runs in the background, your phone remains free for you to use, and you can choose to monitor Gemini’s progress or intervene whenever you wish.

Gemini also prioritises safety through on-device scam detection: calls are instantly analysed, and you’ll be notified if anything appears suspicious—offering you valuable peace of mind, on top of convenience.

Perplexity

Perplexity is the newest addition to the Samsung AI ecosystem, deeply integrated into the S26 and running at a system level. Perplexity can be activated with a simple “Hey Plex”, ready to do anything from saving information straight into Notes to setting reminders mid-conversation or updating your schedule without switching apps. It works in the background of Samsung apps too, letting you explore topics while staying fully focused on what you were already doing.

Perplexity also powers Bixby’s search and reasoning behind the scenes, ensuring it stays grounded in fresh, real-time information rather than outdated training data.

Image courtesy of perplexity.ai

Final thoughts

The Galaxy S26 doesn’t rely on one AI model to do everything. Instead, it blends multiple models that synergise to create an innovative experience that prioritises user convenience. This decision to combine multiple AI models across one device could indicate a larger technological shift towards combining smart technologies for a more user-focused experience.