AI is Heating Up — and Both Samsung and Apple Want Perplexity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming the next big battleground for smartphones, and Samsung and Apple may be headed for a direct clash. Reports suggest that both tech giants are setting their sights on the same rising AI startup, Perplexity. If true, this could spark one of the most intriguing new rivalries between the two arch-competitors.

Apple and Samsung have a shared interest in Perplexity

Samsung is reportedly close to finalizing an investment deal with Perplexity AI, aiming to integrate its conversational search technology into future Galaxy devices. Meanwhile, The Information reports that Apple has gone one step further, exploring a potential acquisition of Perplexity, currently valued at around $18 billion.

This isn’t Apple’s first attempt to snap up AI talent. The company also reportedly explored acquiring French startup Mistral AI but ultimately backed away, choosing instead to double down on developing its own AI systems in-house. While nothing has been finalized, Apple is likely keeping tabs on Perplexity’s meteoric rise.

Perplexity’s flagship product is an AI-powered search engine that doesn’t just spit out links like Google, but also delivers direct, cited answers in natural language. For users, that means research and everyday queries feel faster, cleaner, and more intuitive. Samsung has already started leveraging this, bundling a free one-year Perplexity Pro subscription with Galaxy devices in the US.

Reports suggest Samsung has deeper integration plans for Perplexity, potentially embedding it into Bixby and Samsung Internet. This would make Galaxy phones less reliant on Google’s Gemini for AI experiences. In fact, a top Samsung executive recently confirmed that Gemini won’t be the only AI assistant on the Galaxy S26 series.

This leads us to an interesting scenario. If Apple acquires Perplexity, it’ll surely integrate the services into Siri, closing its widening gap in consumer AI. This likely means Samsung will have to look elsewhere if it wants to diversify AI services on Galaxy phones.

Whether Apple ends up buying Perplexity or Samsung successfully locks in its partnership, one thing is certain: AI is the new arms race in smartphones. This time, it’s not just about hardware, but also about who can deliver the most useful and integrated AI experience. Exciting times are ahead for consumers.