A generative AI boost could be coming soon for Samsung’s Bixby assistant

As part of its efforts to enhance the appeal of its devices, South Korean tech giant Samsung reportedly stated that a top executive is exploring incorporating generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology into its in-house voice assistant Bixby, according to a report by CNBC. 2017 saw the release of Samsung’s Bixby and Galaxy S8 smartphones.

The program included a number of features, including restaurant recommendations and real-time translations.

Yet voice assistants haven’t always been conversational; instead, they’ve depended on users asking queries and getting simple answers. Since the release of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s competitive AI chatbot, and other chatbots, chatbots have improved to the point where they can now handle far more complex questions. These modern chatbots, which are prime examples of generative AI, let users ask questions and get answers in a number of media types, such as text, photos, and even videos.

According to CNBC, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile division Won-joon Choi stated, “Bixby has been a key voice assistant for Samsung not just for mobile devices but also for TVs and digital appliances that exist in Samsung’s ecosystem.”

“I think we need to rethink the role of Bixby in light of the emergence of generative AI and LLM (large language model) technology, so that Bixby can be equipped with these technologies and grow more intelligent in the future,” he continued.

Samsung’s line of products, which includes anything from smartwatches and smartphones to home appliances, is integrated with Bixby. According to the corporation, it’s an essential tool for customers to control their devices at home. Bixby hasn’t yet developed the same features as ChatGPT or its competitors.

Choi highlighted that Samsung is actively working to integrate generative AI capabilities into Bixby, but she declined to give a precise date for when these features might be added.

Samsung’s focus on this technology aligns with the growing curiosity of investors in what Apple’s generative AI offerings might bring. Recently, Apple revealed that it will hold its yearly developers’ conference, WWDC, in June. It is expected that the company will highlight a number of AI technologies from across its range of products.