Samsung Bixby finally gets a generative AI upgrade to take on Siri and Google Assistant

For years, Samsung Bixby has often felt like an afterthought, missing many of the features that made Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri integral to users’ lives.

Earlier this year, Techloy reported on Samsung’s plans to upgrade Bixby with AI-powered capabilities to better compete with its rivals. Now, it looks like Samsung is taking a bold step forward with a next-generation version of Bixby, debuting on the newly launched Galaxy W25 and W25 Flip in China.

This upgraded Bixby, powered by large language models (LLMs), promises smarter interactions and marks a significant leap in Samsung’s AI ambitions.

Bixby is now smarter and more context-aware

Bixby’s latest update brings advanced contextual understanding, powered by generative AI. Samsung claims the assistant now responds to complex, multi-command queries, handling questions like, “It’s cloudy outside. What should I wear to work?” by offering both the forecast and attire suggestions.

This kind of nuanced response is not yet offered by major competitors like Siri or Google Assistant, putting Samsung in a unique position.

This new Bixby also reads on-screen content, allowing users to ask location-based commands like “navigate here,” with Bixby extracting relevant details from apps or messages for seamless assistance, much like the updated Siri with Apple Intelligence.

Notably, this version of Bixby is already available on some high-end Samsung home appliances, hinting at Samsung's vision to create an interconnected, AI-driven ecosystem.

The new Bixby, from the image below, seems to not only benefits from advanced natural language and contextual capabilities but also features a modern, full-screen UI with vibrant animations, similar to Gemini’s interface, aiming for a more engaging experience.

Currently, the new Bixby remains exclusive to China, with global availability anticipated as part of Samsung’s upcoming One UI 7 release, likely to coincide with the Galaxy S25 launch in early 2025.

Samsung’s AI overhaul for Bixby seems strategic as it competes with Google and Apple’s rapidly advancing assistants. Despite this push, Samsung faces the challenge of user adoption, especially as Google Assistant remains the default voice assistant on many Galaxy devices due to an existing $8 billion agreement with Google.

However, Samsung’s reimagined Bixby could be pivotal as it seeks to unify its ecosystem, from smartphones to smart appliances, under a more intelligent assistant.

This ambitious upgrade also demonstrates Samsung’s serious commitment to AI, aiming to make Bixby an indispensable part of its ecosystem. With a more competitive Bixby, Samsung is likely laying the groundwork to secure a stronger foothold in the ~$2.4 billion AI assistant market—though only time will tell if it can genuinely rival Google and Apple.