Samsung turns Bixby into an AI chatbot for One UI 8.5

Samsung announced a Bixby update with Perplexity neural network support

Recently Samsung posted and then quickly deleted a blog entry about a new experience interacting with the virtual assistant Bixby using the Perplexity model. The deletion raised questions about the release date, but the company confirmed that the update will soon be available to the broader audience.

What’s new in Bixby
* Voice commands in natural language – Bixby now better understands requests phrased in everyday speech.
* Settings management and troubleshooting – you can quickly change device parameters by voice without navigating menus.
* Interactive guide – in a cluttered smartphone interface, Bixby becomes a “navigator,” showing the needed options.

> *Example*: The user says, “Don’t dim the screen while I’m watching.” The assistant automatically activates the “Keep screen on during playback” feature, eliminating the need to manually search for the setting.

New functionality
* Online web data support – Bixby will be able to answer queries that go beyond the local knowledge base. Answers are generated directly in a single app window without redirecting the user to external sites.

Release plan
* One UI 8.5 will launch alongside the Galaxy S26 announcement at the Galaxy Unpacked event (February 25).
* Initially, the Bixby update will appear in limited regions: the United States, India, South Korea, and others, after which the company plans to expand availability worldwide.

Thus Samsung is enhancing its assistant’s capabilities, making device interaction more natural and convenient.