TL;DR
- The much-anticipated Samsung Ballie robot is launching in the US this summer, with Gemini built in.
- Gemini will let Ballie understand voice, visuals, and sensor data for more natural interactions.
- Teased initially in 2020, Ballie has evolved into a smarter home companion with a built-in projector.
With the new season of Black Mirror hitting screens tomorrow, some concepts from the earlier seasons are slowly edging closer to reality. Samsung has confirmed that its robot Ballie — a rolling smart home companion that looks a bit like a high-tech bowling ball — will officially launch in the US this summer. Furthermore, it will be powered by Gemini, letting you discuss your requests with it or just engage in idle chat.
Ballie isn’t exactly new. Samsung first introduced the robot back in 2020, showing off its ability to follow users around the house, control smart home devices, and even check in on pets. After a bit of a quiet period, the robot reappeared at CES 2024 with an updated look and a projector built into its body, allowing it to beam videos, calls, or calendar reminders onto any nearby surface. The idea is that it’s more than a glorified Roomba — it’s meant to be a true companion that interacts with you and helps manage your home.
What’s just been announced in the Samsung Newsroom is the brain behind it. By tapping into Gemini — Google’s multimodal generative AI — Ballie will be able to better understand audio, visual, and environmental cues to tailor its responses and behavior. According to Samsung, that could mean anything from offering fashion tips to suggesting ways to boost your energy if you say you’re feeling tired.
Gemini’s integration also means Ballie will be more capable of holding back-and-forth conversations and anticipating needs rather than simply reacting to voice commands. Samsung says this will help Ballie go beyond basic automation and become something closer to a personalized home assistant that learns your habits and preferences.
Samsung hasn’t announced pricing yet, but the press release also revealed that Ballie will be arriving in both the US and Korea sometime this summer. It might just be the closest thing yet to having a sci-fi sidekick in your home.
