Samsung Galaxy S25 may get this new AI voice assistant dubbed next-gen Bixby
Samsung Galaxy S25 may get this new AI voice assistant dubbed next-gen Bixby
Samsung has announced a next-generation version of Bixby, and it could come to a future Galaxy phone
🤖 Samsung has launched an upgraded version of Bixby with generative AI
🧑🎓 It includes features like smarter responses and the ability to generate documents with text prompts
🇨🇳 The new experience is available in China
📱 All signs point to some Bixby AI features creeping onto the Galaxy S25 next year
Samsung confirmed earlier this year that it was working on an upgraded version of Bixby to compete with ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence, and now, we’re getting our first look at it. Dubbed the “next-generation Bixby,” the new assistant has debuted on the company’s Galaxy W25 (a.k.a. a special, thinner version of the Galaxy Z Fold 6) in China, and there are several interesting features that could creep onto the Galaxy S25 come next year.
The new Bixby should work like the current version of Bixby, at least for the most part. You can talk to it and ask for the weather, check your calendar, play music, send a text, pull up a specific setting, and more. The key difference between the old and new versions is AI, which is now deeply integrated into the Bixby experience. It relies on generative AI to generate responses, just like ChatGPT or Google Gemini does. But instead of a third-party AI model, Samsung uses its own.
It’s hard to say whether this model is any good, but it’s what’s powering the new Bixby experience. This includes the ability to ask text-based questions, or even couple your text with video for more specific answers. It also looks like the new Bixby will be able to handle more natural language input so you don’t have to enter “voice assistant mode” when you talk to it.
Samsung’s preview of the features also suggests you’ll be able to generate full-fledged Word documents and PowerPoints with the new Bixby, which suggests it’ll integrate with Microsoft’s suite of Office apps. In addition, Samsung says the assistant can read the content on your screen so you can learn more about whatever you’re looking at.
Is it comparable to Apple Intelligence or Gemini?
From what we’ve seen thus far, Samsung’s new generation of Bixby doesn’t seem ready to compete head-to-head with Apple Intelligence or Google Gemini. But that’s okay, since Samsung isn’t sticking to Bixby as the sole AI assistant you can use on Galaxy phones. You’ll still have access to Gemini and even ChatGPT, which will also be available through Apple Intelligence in the near future.
That being said, Apple Intelligence seems far flashier than Bixby. From Genmoji to Visual Intelligence, Apple has a lot of features built into the iOS system that give you more of a reason to use AI. With Bixby, you have to trigger it before you use any AI, which can bring you out of the core experience of your Galaxy phone.
Still, it’s early days for Samsung’s AI, and things could change rapidly over time to make Bixby a more capable assistant.
Is the new Bixby coming to Galaxy S25?
When will the new Bixby roll out to everyone? We have no idea. Samsung has only made it available on the Galaxy W25 and W25 Flip in China, and there’s no word on when it’ll reach other markets like the United States. However, it’s worth noting that Samsung’s goal with Bixby AI was to launch it this year, which it has, and that could mean it’ll ramp up availability over the coming months, potentially landing on the Galaxy S25 early next year.
In Samsung’s preview of One UI 7 last month, the company stressed its mission of “AI for All” to bring AI features to more users around the world. AI will play a big role in One UI 7 when it lands next year for phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, so it’s safe to say that we can expect some AI news when the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes out.
Max Buondonno is a writer at The Shortcut. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop.