Andy Walker / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung is pumping life into Bixby by sourcing some of the responses from Perplexity AI.
- These upgrades allow Bixby to access real-time information from the web and offer more relevant and detailed responses.
- The upgrade appears to be a part of the One UI 8.5 beta.
Even after years of being outclassed by other rivals, Samsung refuses to give up on its smart assistant, Bixby. Now that all smart assistants are being upgraded with AI, Samsung has similar expectations for Bixby, too. But instead of developing a solution in-house, the tech giant is partnering with an OpenAI rival to execute complex commands given to Bixby, in a similar fashion to how Apple has integrated ChatGPT into Siri.
Samsung has seemingly begun experimenting with Bixby powered by Perplexity AI, a ChatGPT rival that takes a research-first approach, accessing the web and blending other LLMs for responses. This integration was first mentioned last month by a leaker and now appears to be taking form. Based on a screenshot shared by user @achultra on X (via SammyGuru), Bixby appears to be delivering some responses powered by Perplexity.
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The change, the tipster notes, is rolling out as part of the One UI 8.5 beta that Samsung rolled out earlier in December. While it was noted in the update’s changelog, we couldn’t spot the features working — until the user’s report. As per the screenshot, Bixby can be seen offering practical advice based on the actual weather conditions.
Before phones, Samsung has already integrated Perplexity into Bixby running on other smart home appliances, such as its connected refrigerators with touch screens. On phones and tablets, specifically, Perplexity has been offering free 12-month access to Galaxy users in the US, though it has been restricted to using the chatbot through its own app.
Improving Bixby also gives Samsung an advantage over Gemini, since its own assistant enjoys greater control over the system, allowing users to control system apps or dig deep into system settings using their voice. Even for users who do not want to use Bixby, One UI facilitates using Gemini or alternatives such as Alexa as the primary assistant, while also letting them access Bixby by using a wake word.
While Samsung is testing the renewed Bixby with One UI 8.5 beta, we’re unsure if it plans a bigger push with the upcoming launch of the Galaxy S26 series. It hasn’t dropped hints so far, but we’ll ensure notifying you if something changes on that front.
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