Agentic AI. These two words are on the lips of almost every tech enthusiast around the world. Samsung is offering a glimpse of the emerging technology on its Galaxy S26 series. Agentic AI is about action rather than reaction. Instead of waiting for prompts, it anticipates and executes tasks. By opening access to this technology, AI becomes more usable in everyday life.

Today, many users say AI is impressive but admit they rarely use it regularly. What makes an agent valuable is its ability to anticipate routine tasks and quietly handle them in the background.

The idea of an AI agent helping with travel, shopping or scheduling feels like a genuine solution to real-world problems. When Galaxy AI first arrived in 2024, Samsung was at the forefront of positioning smartphones as the primary gateway to AI features. Back then, the focus was on tools such as real-time translation, AI photo editing and AI-powered voice assistance. Agentic AI, however, represents a far more integrated layer of intelligence.

The Galaxy S26 series is designed to make frequently used experiences feel straightforward and user- friendly. Picture: Mathures Paul

The features in this new phase work seamlessly on the user’s behalf, responding to context, surfacing the right support at the right moment and automating tasks with minimal manual input. For example, when a school friend asks for pictures from a recent reunion, you would typically scroll through hundreds of photos to find the right ones. This is where the Now Nudge feature steps in. If someone requests photos from a recent trip, the Galaxy S26 automatically suggests relevant images from the Gallery, removing the need to search through albums or switch between apps.

Consider receiving a message about a meeting. The Galaxy S26 can recognise related Calendar entries and check for scheduling conflicts. We also tried the Now Brief feature, which recommends exercise playlists and offers timely reminders for important events based on personal context.

Circle to Search was already available, but the new series upgrades it with enhanced multi-object recognition. Users can now explore multiple parts of an image simultaneously. If you spot an outfit you like, the feature can identify everything from the jacket to the shoes in a single search.

That is not all. The series supports a broader range of agents, including Bixby, Gemini and Perplexity. Once set up, tasks can be completed with a single button press or a voice prompt. The phones feature an upgraded Bixby, now positioned as a conversational device agent, making interaction with Galaxy devices more natural. It is tempting to ask whether this is what Siri has been promising for years. Perhaps things will shift on the Apple front after this year’s WWDC.

The Galaxy S26 can handle multi-step tasks in the background. For example, with Gemini, booking a taxi is as simple as asking, reviewing the details and tapping confirm. These assistants support tasks such as searching, coordinating actions across apps and controlling device settings through natural interaction. For those concerned about automatic payments, user confirmation remains in place.

The new features set the stage for Galaxy devices to become trusted companions that understand and anticipate user needs. It is encouraging to see Samsung upgrading its in-house voice assistant, Bixby. It can now make proactive suggestions and handle more context-aware tasks, particularly those performed on-device.