Samsung is upgrading its Bixby voice assist to a “conversational device agent” capable of understanding natural language requests from users.
According to Samsung, the update makes using a Galaxy device “more intuitive” and gives users greater control over their devices without them having to delve into the phone’s settings menus.
For example, a user can say, “I don’t want the screen to time out while I’m still looking at it” and Bixby will immediately turns on the ‘Keep Screen on While Viewing’ setting without the user needing to know the setting’s exact name.
The upgraded Bixby also has access to live and up-to-date information when used for web searches, with results appearing within its own user interface rather than redirecting users to a web browser or separate app.
The new features will initially be available to users in the UK, US, Germany, India, Korea, and Poland as part of the One UI 8.5 update, with plans for a broader expansion to follow.
“Since we introduced our first AI phone in 2024, we’ve been committed to making them easier to use so more people can benefit from AI — that’s why we decided to integrate a device agent directly into the experience,” said Won-Joon Choi, Chief Operating Officer, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics.
“To support this, we redesigned Bixby to enable more natural interactions and intuitive device control, reducing friction in everyday tasks.”