Samsung and Apple Eye Perplexity AI: Is Google’s Search Dominance at Risk?

For over two decades, Google has reigned unchallenged as the default gateway to the internet for billions of users. Its position as the dominant search engine has been bolstered by exclusive deals with major hardware and software players—most notably Apple and Samsung. But recent developments suggest that this dominance may soon face its most serious challenge yet. Reports indicate that Samsung is in advanced talks with Perplexity AI, an emerging startup in the generative AI space, to replace Google’s services on its devices. Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly exploring similar options.

These moves, if finalized, could mark the beginning of a structural shift in the global search engine landscape, one that places artificial intelligence at the center of how users retrieve and interact with information.

Samsung’s Strategic Pivot Toward Perplexity AI

According to multiple credible sources, Samsung is considering making Perplexity AI the default search assistant on its smartphones and tablets, potentially replacing Google Gemini. The integration could begin with Samsung’s proprietary browser or digital assistant Bixby, and eventually expand across its ecosystem. The Galaxy S26 series, expected in 2026, is cited as the likely launch point for this transition.

Beyond software integration, Samsung is also reportedly evaluating a strategic investment of up to $500 million in Perplexity AI, which recently raised a funding round that values the company at approximately $3 billion to $4 billion. This investment would not only cement the partnership but signal a major commitment to reshaping the search experience around AI-driven interaction.

The rationale is clear: Perplexity offers a conversational search experience powered by advanced language models, capable of delivering direct, synthesized answers instead of just hyperlinks. For Samsung, this presents an opportunity to differentiate its user experience, reduce reliance on Google, and ride the wave of user demand for AI-native tools.

Apple’s Exploratory Discussions with Perplexity

While not as far along as Samsung, Apple has also reportedly initiated conversations with Perplexity. According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple executives including Eddy Cue, head of Services, have expressed strong interest in the startup’s capabilities. Discussions have centered on exploring Perplexity as a potential search partner, possibly as a replacement for Google or as an alternative AI layer within Safari or Siri.

This aligns with Apple’s broader strategy of reducing dependency on third-party providers, particularly Google. During the recent U.S. Department of Justice antitrust trial, Apple confirmed that it has considered alternative search engines such as Bing, DuckDuckGo, and more recently, AI-based platforms like ChatGPT, Anthropic, and Perplexity.

However, Apple’s approach appears to be in a more exploratory phase. No partnership has been announced, and the company remains cautious, likely due to both the regulatory implications and the scale of disruption such a move would entail.

Google’s Business Model Under Threat

The implications of these potential partnerships are significant. Google pays Apple an estimated $18–20 billion annually to remain the default search engine on Safari. If Apple were to end or reduce this agreement in favor of a rival like Perplexity, it would represent not just a financial blow to Google, but a broader signal of weakening strategic influence.

Google’s dominant position relies on being the default across devices. If both Samsung and Apple—the two largest smartphone vendors globally—shift away from Google in favor of an AI-native alternative, Google’s user acquisition funnel could shrink dramatically.

Moreover, Perplexity’s approach fundamentally challenges Google’s model. Instead of serving pages of links interspersed with ads, Perplexity delivers structured, sourced, and concise answers. This reduces opportunities for monetization through traditional ad placements and forces Google to rethink its entire search experience.

The Rise of AI-Native Search

Perplexity AI is part of a new class of AI-native search engines that blend large language models (LLMs) with retrieval capabilities to provide contextual, human-like responses. Rather than simply crawling the web and indexing pages, these platforms act as intelligent assistants—capable of understanding intent, offering summaries, citing sources, and maintaining dialogue.

This trend is not limited to Perplexity. Other players, including OpenAI’s integration of ChatGPT into Microsoft’s Bing, and startups like You.com and Neeva (before its acquisition), have all tested new formats of information retrieval. However, Perplexity appears to be the first to attract serious OEM attention for default-level integration.

If these experiments succeed, they could catalyze a broader industry migration toward answer engines rather than search engines.

Conclusion: A Tipping Point for Search

While Google remains the undisputed leader in the search market for now, the foundations of that dominance are beginning to shift. Samsung’s deepening engagement with Perplexity AI—and Apple’s growing interest—suggest that the next evolution in search may be driven not by incremental improvements to web indexing, but by a full embrace of AI-powered interfaces.

For users, this could mean faster, more accurate, and more useful answers. For the industry, it could usher in a new era of competition, where the battleground is no longer access to information, but how effectively that information is synthesized and delivered.

Whether Perplexity becomes the next Google or merely accelerates the transition toward a more intelligent web, one thing is clear: the search wars are entering a new phase—one defined not by links, but by language models.