Samsung says Bixby’s still not dead

Apparently, Bixby isn’t fading away just yet. A Samsung executive informed CNBC that the company is actively working on enhancing its voice assistant with AI capabilities, indicating that it views competitors like Gemini as rivals rather than substitutes.

This reassurance is welcomed, as some observers had begun to question Bixby’s future. During earlier announcements this year, Samsung showcased numerous new generative AI functionalities for its flagship phones, with little mention of its voice assistant. Additionally, Samsung and Google emphasized the utilization of Gemini Nano, Google’s on-device AI model, in the Galaxy S24 phones. This led some to speculate that Samsung might replace Bixby with Google’s Gemini-powered assistant. However, it seems that such a move is not on the agenda.

Won-joon Choi, Samsung’s executive vice president of mobile, expressed the company’s intention to redefine Bixby’s role by integrating generative AI. He emphasized the need for Bixby to become more intelligent and capable of natural conversations. Samsung is not alone in its rush to infuse AI into voice assistants; Apple is also anticipated to unveil an AI-enhanced Siri at this year’s WWDC.

Meanwhile, the AI features introduced with the Galaxy S24 have been retroactively made available to last year’s phones through a One UI 6.1 update. Known as Galaxy AI, this comprehensive package is currently offered free of charge. However, if Samsung intends to monetize its AI features in the future, it will need to significantly enhance their capabilities. Despite the evolving vision for its AI ecosystem, it appears that Bixby remains an integral part of Samsung’s strategy.