Samsung’s Bixby Gets an AI Upgrade to Compete with ChatGPT and Gemini
Samsung is bolstering its virtual assistant, Bixby, with significant upgrades aimed at challenging the dominance of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. The update, rolling out with One UI 8.5, focuses on making Bixby more conversational and intuitive, although maintaining its core function of managing Galaxy devices.
Bixby’s New Conversational Capabilities
The revamped Bixby is designed to understand natural language, allowing users to interact with the assistant more fluidly. Instead of requiring precise commands, Bixby will interpret user intent, streamlining the process of adjusting phone settings. For example, a user can simply request that the screen stay on longer, and Bixby will enable the “Keep Screen on While Viewing” feature without requiring navigation through menus (Geo.tv).
Enhanced Troubleshooting and Support
Samsung is also enhancing Bixby’s troubleshooting capabilities. The assistant can now assess the context of user questions, check existing settings, and offer immediate solutions. If a user experiences issues like the screen remaining active in their pocket, Bixby can guide them to the “Accidental Touch Protection” setting for a quick fix (Geo.tv).
Real-Time Web Search Integration
A key addition to the upgraded Bixby is the integration of real-time web search. This allows users to find information directly within the Bixby interface, eliminating the need to switch between apps. This feature positions Bixby as a practical tool for everyday tasks and user convenience (Geo.tv).
Initial Availability and Future Rollout
The One UI 8.5 update, including the upgraded Bixby, is initially available in select markets: Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US. Samsung has not yet announced a specific timeline or list of compatible devices, indicating that availability will vary by model and region (Geo.tv).
The Broader AI Assistant Landscape on Samsung Devices
Samsung’s moves approach as the landscape of AI assistants on Galaxy devices evolves. While Gemini AI was initially introduced as the default assistant on Galaxy S25 smartphones with One UI 7, users have the option to replace it with Bixby (Samlover.com). Google recently announced an upgrade allowing users to replace Gemini with ChatGPT on Galaxy smartphones (Samlover.com).
ChatGPT as a Default Assistant Option
The ability to set ChatGPT as the default assistant allows users to invoke its voice mode through long-pressing the power button or swiping from the screen’s corner. The ChatGPT beta version now supports this functionality across Android devices, including Samsung Galaxy phones (Samlover.com) and (Sammyfans.com).
Google Assistant’s Phase-Out
Google is phasing out the classic Google Assistant in favor of Gemini, with the transition expected to accelerate for users meeting minimum requirements of Android 10 and 2GB of RAM (Sammyfans.com).
Bixby’s Continued Role
Despite the rise of Gemini and ChatGPT, Bixby Voice remains a key component of the Galaxy ecosystem, particularly due to its deep optimization for Samsung devices. The One UI operating system can intelligently distribute tasks between different assistants based on the user’s command, leveraging the strengths of each (Sammyfans.com).