Samsung unveils AI assistant Bixby, but you can’t use it unless you’re in China

Samsung unveils AI-powered ‘Next-generation Bixby’ in China: The tech giant has quietly launched an updated version of its voice assistant, Bixby, with advanced AI capabilities for select Galaxy devices in the Chinese market.

• The new Bixby was introduced alongside the release of the Galaxy W25 and W25 Flip, region-exclusive variants of Samsung’s foldable devices in China.
• This update marks a significant advancement for Bixby, which was notably absent from Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite of features launched earlier this year.

Key features of ‘Next-generation Bixby’: Samsung has highlighted four main enhancements to its AI assistant, focusing on multimodal interactions and improved language understanding.

• The assistant can now incorporate video content into responses, such as adding relevant videos when providing travel tips.
• A new web page translation feature has been added to Bixby’s capabilities.
• The AI is designed to better comprehend complex user intentions and contextual instructions, suggesting improved natural language processing.
• Perhaps most notably, Bixby can now leverage generative AI to create word documents and slideshows based on user prompts, potentially streamlining office tasks.

Limited availability and future prospects: The rollout of ‘Next-generation Bixby’ is currently restricted, with no immediate plans for a global release announced.

• As of now, the new Bixby is exclusively available on the Galaxy W25 and W25 Flip devices in China.
• Samsung has not provided information on when or if this updated version will be available in other markets or on other Galaxy devices.
• Speculation suggests that the wider release of ‘Next-generation Bixby’ could be a key feature in Samsung’s upcoming One UI 7, expected to debut in early 2025.

Context of Bixby’s evolution: The introduction of ‘Next-generation Bixby’ represents a significant step in Samsung’s AI strategy and competition in the voice assistant market.

• This update comes after Samsung confirmed plans to revamp Bixby with AI capabilities in July, following the assistant’s exclusion from the initial Galaxy AI feature set.
• The enhancements to Bixby appear to be Samsung’s response to advancing AI assistants from competitors like Google and Apple.
• By integrating more advanced AI capabilities, Samsung aims to keep Bixby relevant and competitive in the rapidly evolving landscape of voice assistants and AI-powered user interfaces.

Implications for Samsung’s AI ecosystem: The development of ‘Next-generation Bixby’ signals Samsung’s commitment to enhancing its AI offerings across its device ecosystem.

• This update could potentially bridge the gap between Bixby and more advanced AI assistants, addressing previous limitations of Samsung’s voice assistant.
• The inclusion of generative AI features for office tasks suggests Samsung is targeting productivity use cases, potentially positioning Galaxy devices as more attractive for business users.
• As AI becomes increasingly central to mobile experiences, Samsung’s investment in Bixby underscores the importance of having a competitive AI assistant to maintain its market position in the smartphone industry.

Looking ahead: While the limited release of ‘Next-generation Bixby’ leaves many questions unanswered, it provides insight into Samsung’s AI ambitions and future product strategies.

The selective rollout in China may serve as a testing ground for these new features before a potential global launch. As Samsung continues to develop its AI capabilities, it will be interesting to see how ‘Next-generation Bixby’ evolves and integrates with the broader Galaxy ecosystem, potentially reshaping user interactions with Samsung devices in the coming years.