Galaxy AI is built into every recent Samsung flagship, yet what runs locally, what goes to the cloud and what might one day cost money is spread across many footnotes. Galaxy AI is Samsung's suite of AI features for Galaxy phones, tablets and wearables, introduced with the Galaxy S24 series at Galaxy Unpacked in San Jose on 17 January 2024. It combines Samsung's own features, such as Interpreter, Photo Assist and Now Brief, with Google services such as Circle to Search and Gemini, and from the Galaxy S26 series adds Perplexity as a pre-installed option. This page sets out the features, the devices Samsung lists, how cloud and on-device processing work, the free versus paid position, the provenance labels on AI images and the controls available to users and administrators. It is written for buyers, IT and mobility teams and privacy officers who want the facts from Samsung's own pages.
Last checked: 2026-11-15.
This is an independent reference page from NHI Mgmt Group based on public provider documentation; it is not sponsored or endorsed by any provider.
Key takeaways
- Basic features are free. Samsung states basic Galaxy AI features are free and that future releases may add paid enhanced features or services; earlier launches promised free use until the end of 2025.
- Galaxy S24 and later. Samsung lists Galaxy S24 series and later smartphones, with tablet and wearable support depending on model and OS version.
- Mostly hybrid, with an on-device switch. Many features need a network connection and a Samsung Account; a "process data only on device" setting keeps processing local at the cost of some features.
- Labelled AI images. Images saved from Photo Assist carry a visible watermark, and Samsung says the Galaxy S25 was the first smartphone line to support C2PA Content Credentials.
- Enterprise controls exist. Knox Service Plugin policies can force on-device processing or block all or selected Galaxy AI features, separately for the device and the work profile.
What is Galaxy AI?
Galaxy AI is a brand for a set of features rather than a single model or app. Some features are built by Samsung, some by Google, and some by third parties under their own terms. At launch, Google Cloud said Samsung Notes, Voice Recorder and Keyboard summarisation used Gemini Pro on Vertex AI, Gallery's Generative Edit used Imagen 2, and Gemini Nano, delivered with Android 14, ran on the device. Samsung's later material describes Bixby, Gemini and Perplexity working together to understand user intent.
Key facts
| Field | Value (as of 2026-11-15) |
|---|---|
| Provider | Samsung Electronics |
| First release | 17 January 2024, Galaxy S24 series at Galaxy Unpacked, San Jose |
| Status | Active; Galaxy S26 series is Samsung's third generation of Galaxy AI phones |
| Supported phones | Galaxy S24 series and later; availability varies by region, model and carrier |
| Models named by partners | Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 via Google Cloud Vertex AI, Gemini Nano on device (January 2024 announcement) |
| Assistants | Bixby (Samsung), Gemini (Google), Perplexity (pre-installed from Galaxy S26) |
| Account | Samsung Account login for most features; Google account for Gemini and Circle to Search; Perplexity account for Perplexity |
| Price | Basic features free; future paid enhanced features possible |
| AI image labelling | Visible watermark on saved Photo Assist output; C2PA Content Credentials from Galaxy S25 |
| Accuracy | Samsung does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or reliability of AI output |
Which generations and devices support Galaxy AI?
| Generation | Launch | Galaxy AI points Samsung highlighted |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S24 series | Unveiled 17 January 2024 | Live Translate in calls (audio and text, up to 13 languages), Interpreter, Chat Assist, Note Assist, Transcript Assist, Circle to Search with Google |
| Galaxy S25 series | Global availability 7 February 2025 | Now Brief, Now Bar, Gemini in 46 languages with One UI 7, cross-app actions, C2PA Content Credentials; on-device processing on Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Galaxy S26 series | Unveiled 25 February 2026, sales from 11 March 2026 | Now Nudge, Photo Assist, Creative Studio, multi-element Circle to Search, Perplexity alongside Bixby and Gemini, AI ISP on front camera |
As of 2026-11-15. Samsung's Galaxy AI page lists, among current devices, the Galaxy Z Fold8, Z Fold8 Ultra, S26 Ultra, Tab S11 Ultra, Tab S11, Tab S10+, Watch Ultra2, Watch9, Buds4 Pro and Buds4. Samsung advises checking a specific feature on a specific model before relying on it, because support depends on region, model, carrier and OS version.
UK launch prices for the S26 series were from £879 (Galaxy S26, 256GB), from £1,099 (Galaxy S26+, 256GB) and from £1,279 (Galaxy S26 Ultra).
Is Galaxy AI free?
| Date | Samsung statement |
|---|---|
| February 2025 (S25 launch) | Galaxy AI features are free on supported devices until the end of 2025 |
| February 2026 (S26 launch) | Galaxy AI features are free; future releases may add advanced features as part of a paid subscription |
| Current Galaxy AI page | Basic Galaxy AI features are free; future releases may include paid enhanced features or services. Basic features correspond to "Advanced intelligence" in the Samsung Services Terms and Conditions |
As of 2026-11-15, Samsung has published no price or subscription name for Galaxy AI on the pages checked. Third-party AI features, including Gemini and Perplexity, are subject to their own terms and plans.
What features does Galaxy AI include?
The table follows Samsung's current Galaxy AI page, grouped by purpose. Requirements come from Samsung's footnotes.
| Feature | What it does | Requirements stated by Samsung |
|---|---|---|
| Now Nudge | Suggests actions from on-screen context, such as checking Calendar while making plans in a chat | Samsung Account; supported apps only; region and language vary |
| Now Brief | Personalised briefings, with user-written prompts for custom topics | Samsung Account; daily limit on custom card generation |
| Bixby | Natural-language assistant for device questions, settings and web search | Samsung Account and data connection |
| Writing Assist | Proofreads, reformats, rewords and summarises text | Network and Samsung Account; minimum text length |
| Interpreter | Real-time speech translation, audio to Galaxy Buds and text to the phone | Samsung Account; some languages need a download |
| Transcript Assist | Transcribes recordings, then summarises or translates them | Network and Samsung Account; specific Samsung apps; files under 3 hours |
| Call Screening | Previews an unknown caller's reason and can end spam or scam calls | Manual activation; region varies |
| Photo Assist | Moves, resizes or removes objects, fills gaps, adds elements from a prompt or reference image | Network and Samsung Account; visible watermark on saved output |
| Creative Studio | Sticker sets, greeting cards and wallpapers from prompts | Network and Samsung Account |
| Audio Eraser | Removes background noise from video: voices, music, wind, nature, crowds, noise | Samsung Account |
| Auto Trim | Builds highlight clips from key moments | Up to 90 minutes per clip, 180 minutes combined, 60 clips per project |
| My FanCam | Tracks one subject in wide-angle video and crops to an aspect ratio | Samsung Account; trackable subject |
| Document Scan | Detects documents and cleans up scans | Visible corners and clear spacing |
| Bedtime Guidance, Energy Score | Bedtime suggestion and daily condition score from watch or ring data | Android 11+, Samsung Health app version, Samsung Account; wellness use only, not medical advice |
| Circle to Search with Google | Search anything on screen by circling or tapping; multi-element search from S26 | Google account, network, select languages |
| Gemini | Google's assistant, including cross-app actions | Google account, select languages, 18+ |
| Perplexity | Pre-installed AI assistant on S26 | Perplexity account; assign to side button in settings |
As of 2026-11-15. Live Translate, Chat Assist and Note Assist were named at the S24 launch; check the device's settings for the current names on older models.
Which Galaxy AI features run on the device?
Samsung does not publish one complete on-device versus cloud list. Its statements, taken together, are:
- On-device examples: a September 2025 Samsung article names Live Translate, Interpreter and Audio Eraser as keeping inputs on the phone, while footnotes still require a Samsung Account and, for Live Translate, a network connection.
- Hybrid: Generative Edit works on device for some tasks and uses cloud AI for heavier edits.
- Network required: Photo Assist, Creative Studio, Writing Assist, Transcript Assist, Bixby, Gemini and Circle to Search all list a network connection.
- User switch: in privacy settings users can choose local or cloud processing. Samsung's footnote says processing data only on the device lets advanced intelligence features run locally and may reduce functionality for features that depend on online processing.
Provenance and labelling
| Mechanism | Where Samsung states it |
|---|---|
| Visible watermark | Images saved from Photo Assist carry a visible watermark indicating Galaxy AI generated them |
| C2PA Content Credentials | Samsung says the Galaxy S25 is the industry's first smartphone lineup to support Content Credentials based on the C2PA standard, adopted for content created or edited with generative AI |
| SynthID | Not stated by Samsung |
A visible watermark can be cropped and metadata can be stripped when images are re-shared, so verification teams should check for both rather than rely on either. See the AI Content Provenance and C2PA Guide and SynthID vs C2PA Content Credentials.
Data and privacy
- Training use: Samsung's Knox documentation states on-device processed features do not use data to train machine learning models, and cloud-processed features may be used for training. A September 2025 Samsung newsroom article states personal data is never stored long-term or used for AI training, whether processed on device or in the cloud. The two statements differ, so read the current Samsung privacy notice for your region.
- Personal Data Engine: analyses Samsung native apps and supported app notifications on the device, requires the Personal Data Intelligence menu to be on, and deletes analysed data when the menu is turned off.
- Storage encryption: personal data is encrypted and stored with KEEP (One UI 8 or later) and Knox Vault.
- Device trust: Knox Matrix Trust Chain lets connected Galaxy devices check each other, from One UI 7.0.
- Third parties: Gemini, Circle to Search and Perplexity run under Google's and Perplexity's terms, not Samsung's.
For the wider device security stack see Samsung Knox Security.
What can IT administrators control?
Samsung's Knox Service Plugin (KSP) documentation sets out two groups of policies, each available device-wide (fully managed, DO) and for the work profile (PO).
| Policy | Effect | Prerequisites stated |
|---|---|---|
| Allow process data only on device | True: Galaxy AI in that profile runs on device only. False: on device and cloud | Enable device policy controls (or work profile policies) and advanced restrictions |
| Block all galaxy AI | True disables all Galaxy AI in that profile | Knox 3.11 or later |
| Block individual galaxy AI operations | Dropdown to disable selected features; "All" disables only the items listed in the menu | Knox 3.11 or later |
As of 2026-11-15. The KSP page lists the Galaxy S24 series on One UI 6.1 (Android 14) or later and Knox 3.10 or later for Galaxy AI features. Features needing a Samsung Account (or Samsung account for Business) include Samsung Notes and Voice Recorder features, Web Assist Summary, translations, Interpreter, Generative Edit, Call Assist and Chat Assist. Pair these with your Android Enterprise baseline: see the Android Enterprise Security Guide.
When was Galaxy AI released, and how has it changed?
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 17 January 2024 | Galaxy AI introduced with the Galaxy S24 series; Google named as primary partner; Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 via Vertex AI |
| 7 February 2025 | Galaxy S25 series available worldwide with Now Brief, Gemini in 46 languages and C2PA support; free until end of 2025 statement |
| 15 September 2025 | Samsung newsroom article on on-device processing and privacy controls |
| 25 February 2026 | Galaxy S26 series unveiled with Now Nudge, Photo Assist, Creative Studio and Perplexity; basic features free |
| 11 March 2026 | Galaxy S26 series on sale |
What are Galaxy AI's limits?
- Accuracy: Samsung does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or reliability of AI output, and repeats this for Now Nudge, Photo Assist and Creative Studio.
- Accounts: most features need a Samsung Account login, so a device without one loses much of the suite.
- Regional variation: features and languages vary by region, model and carrier.
- Usage caps: Now Brief custom cards have a daily generation limit; Transcript Assist handles files under 3 hours; Auto Trim caps clip length.
- On-device trade-off: the local-only setting reduces features that depend on online processing.
- Future pricing: Samsung reserves the option of paid enhanced features; budget owners should not assume the full suite stays free.
Practitioner checklist
- Confirm each Galaxy AI feature you plan to use on the exact model, region and carrier you deploy.
- Decide whether corporate devices should process AI data only on device, and enforce it with the KSP "Allow process data only on device" policy.
- Use "Block individual galaxy AI operations" for features that send work data to the cloud, such as transcription and writing tools, where policy requires.
- Set a rule on Samsung Account and Samsung account for Business use on managed devices, since most features depend on it.
- Review Google's and Perplexity's terms separately before allowing Gemini, Circle to Search or Perplexity on work profiles.
- Train verification and communications teams to check both the visible watermark and C2PA Content Credentials on images.
- Recheck Samsung's free versus paid statement before each device refresh or budget cycle.
Standards and references
- Samsung UK: Galaxy AI
- Samsung Knox Docs: Data processing for Galaxy AI
- Samsung Newsroom UK: Galaxy Unpacked 2026, Galaxy S26 series
- Samsung Newsroom: Galaxy S25 series arrives worldwide
- Samsung Newsroom: Galaxy Unpacked 2024 highlights
- Samsung Newsroom Australia: How Galaxy AI lets you control your data
- Google Cloud: Samsung and Google Cloud bring generative AI to Galaxy S24
Related NHI Mgmt Group resources: Samsung Knox Security · On-Device AI Security Guide · Android Enterprise Security Guide · AI Content Provenance and C2PA Guide