Bixby Not Dead? Samsung Could Keep The Assistant Alive With Big Gen AI Boost

Bixby might be alive after all. The race to integrate AI features into technology is heating up and Samsung is leaving no stone unturned to infuse its devices with more advanced AI features. Recently, the company introduced new features with Galaxy AI, along with its latest Galaxy S24 series smartphones to enhance the user experience by automating tasks and personalising interactions. Now, as per one of its executive, Samsung is gearing up to enhance its digital Assistant, Bixby, with generative AI capabilities.

During an interview with CNBC, Executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile business, Won-joon Choi, said that Bixby has been a key voice assistant for Samsung not just for the mobile devices, but also for televisions and digital appliances that exist in Samsung’s product ecosystem. But now, the South Korean tech giant is working hard to bring these advanced AI features to its core voice assistant.

As quoted by Times Of India, Won-joon Choi while speaking to the media outlet CNBC said, “With the emergence of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and LLM (large language model) technology, I believe that we have to redefine the role of Bixby so that Bixby could be equipped with generative AI and become smarter in the future.”

The upgrade intends to improve Bixby’s interface and allow more natural conversations across Samsung’s product ecosystem, which includes smartphones, wearables, TVs, and home appliances, added Won-joon Choi.

Since its launch in 2017 with the Galaxy S8 series, the digital assistant Bixby has been a key voice assistant for Samsung devices. However, the tech giant has now announced a suite of generative AI-powered features collectively dubbed “Galaxy AI” for Galaxy smartphones, beginning with the Galaxy S24 series. The features include Circle to Search, chat assistance, Generative Edit, Live Translate, and many more.

While Choi kept details under wraps and did not provide a timeline for when customers can anticipate these generative AI features, he highlighted that Samsung is making substantial efforts to deliver them.

Previously, at the Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung’s VP and director of global product planning, Junho Park, hinted to AI advancements for Bixby in July 2023, including the inclusion of generative AI. Now, the generative AI capabilities are available on the digital assistant, but exclusively for Samsung’s smart home appliances. The upcoming upgrade could bring these advanced AI features to a wider range of devices, potentially enhancing user interactions with wearables, smartphones, and other Samsung products.