Samsung Bets on Agentic AI with Galaxy S26, Partners with Google on ‘A

When TM Roh took the stage in San Francisco on Wednesday, he wasn’t just unveiling another smartphone. Samsung’s head of mobile was making a declaration: the era of agentic AI has arrived, and his company intends to be at the center of it. The Galaxy S26 series represents Samsung’s most ambitious attempt yet to transform its devices from tools into autonomous companions.

“There is still a gap between what AI promises and what you actually experience. AI must become a part of our infrastructure … and from there, it evolves into agentic AI.” — TM Roh, Head of Samsung Mobile Division

Three AI Assistants, One Orchestrator

The Galaxy S26 breaks new ground by integrating three distinct AI assistants: Google Gemini, Samsung’s own Bixby, and now Perplexity. Users can trigger Perplexity by simply saying, “Hey, Plex.” Rather than forcing users to choose, Samsung has positioned its Galaxy AI as an orchestrator that coordinates between these services.

This multi-assistant approach reflects a broader strategic bet. Samsung is explicitly building what it calls an “open and inclusive integrated AI ecosystem that gives users more choice.” It’s a direct contrast to Apple’s more walled-garden approach, and it positions Samsung as the Switzerland of smartphone AI—neutral ground where multiple services can coexist.

Choi Won-joon, president and chief operating officer of Samsung’s mobile division, emphasized that this architecture lays “the foundation for more agentic AI experiences—setting the stage for Galaxy devices to become trusted companions.”

The Privacy Display Revolution

Beyond AI, Samsung introduced a hardware feature that could become industry standard. The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display uses an advanced lighting system to dynamically obscure the screen from side angles. Unlike static privacy screen protectors, this system can be customized to hide specific information—PINs, passwords, notifications—or even entire apps from prying eyes.

The technology has already attracted attention from competitors. Reports indicate that several Chinese smartphone manufacturers are testing similar features for upcoming releases. In an era of increasing digital surveillance and shoulder-surfing attacks, Privacy Display addresses a genuine pain point that has plagued smartphone users since the device’s invention.

“For people to really start using AI and make it mainstream, we need to make sure that it’s accessible, and they have the trust and confidence in it.” — Omar Saheb, Samsung Regional VP

Building the ‘AI OS’ with Google

Perhaps the most significant announcement came not from Samsung alone, but from its deepening partnership with Google. The two companies are collaborating on what they’re calling “AI OS”—a next-generation Android experience that moves “from an OS to an intelligent system that truly understands and works for you.”

Sameer Samat, president of Android Ecosystem at Google, promised more details “in the coming months.” But the vision is clear: an operating system where agents communicate with each other at the system level, taking actions across applications without constant user intervention.

This represents a fundamental shift in how we think about mobile operating systems. Traditional OS architecture treats apps as silos. AI OS promises to break down those walls, allowing intelligence to flow between services in ways that were previously impossible.

The Stakes for Samsung

The Galaxy S26 launch comes at a critical moment for Samsung. According to Counterpoint Research, the company slipped to second place in global smartphone market share in Q4 2025, capturing 18% compared to Apple’s 25%. The premium smartphone market has become increasingly competitive, with Chinese manufacturers like Huawei and Xiaomi closing the gap on features and design.

Samsung’s response is to bet everything on AI differentiation. While Apple has taken a more cautious approach to AI integration—partly due to its privacy-focused philosophy—Samsung is moving aggressively to establish itself as the AI-first smartphone brand.

The coming months will test whether consumers are ready for agentic AI, or whether Samsung has moved too far ahead of market demand. With Apple expected to unveil its next iPhone generation in September, the battle for smartphone AI supremacy is just beginning.

This article was reported by the ArtificialDaily editorial team. For more information, visit The National.