Samsung Evolves Bixby into a Powerful Conversational AI Agent with One UI 8.5

Samsung has officially pulled back the curtain on a revolutionary update for its virtual assistant. Bixby has been completely transformed into a conversational AI agent, moving far beyond its traditional voice-command roots. This major upgrade is currently making its debut for users enrolled in the One UI 8.5 Beta program, promising a significantly more intuitive and capable user experience than ever before. This development follows through on Samsung's promise made earlier this year to modernize its digital assistant ecosystem.

Real-Time Intelligence Powered by Perplexity

One of the most significant changes in this version is Bixby's ability to handle complex queries by fetching live data from the internet. Through a strategic Perplexity integration, users can ask Bixby almost anything and receive detailed, up-to-date answers. This functionality is baked directly into the Bixby interface, meaning you no longer need to jump between apps or open a browser to verify facts or find recommendations.

For instance, a user could ask, "Find me hotels in Seoul that have swimming pools for kids." Bixby will leverage Perplexity's search engine to find specific results and display them in a clean, readable format. Furthermore, the UI has been overhauled to keep track of your interactions. Much like Gemini or ChatGPT, Bixby now displays a history of your conversation threads in a convenient side menu, making it easy to pick up where you left off.

Intuitive Device Control via Natural Language

Beyond just answering questions, the new Bixby acts as a true One UI 8.5 agent. It can navigate and control your Galaxy smartphone using natural language commands. Users no longer need to memorize the specific names of settings or features. You can simply describe your intent, and the AI will figure out the rest.

A practical example of this is the command: "I don’t want the screen to time out while I’m still looking at it." Upon hearing this, Bixby will automatically locate and enable the 'Keep Screen On While Viewing' feature. This level of semantic understanding reduces the friction often associated with navigating deep sub-menus within the Android operating system.

Availability and Global Expansion

The conversational version of Bixby is currently being tested by One UI 8.5 Beta Program participants in several regions, including India, South Korea, Germany, Poland, the UK, and the USA. Samsung plans to expand this feature to more markets and devices in the coming months as the stable version of One UI 8.5 rolls out to the public.

Won Joon Choi, Samsung MX COO, emphasized the company's vision: "Since we introduced our first AI phone in 2024, we’ve been committed to making them easier to use so more people can benefit from AI. That’s why we decided to integrate a device agent directly into the experience. To support this, we redesigned Bixby to enable more natural interactions and intuitive device control, reducing friction in everyday tasks."

What exactly is the "new" Bixby in One UI 8.5?

The new Bixby is a complete overhaul that transforms the assistant into a conversational AI agent. It uses advanced large language models to understand natural speech, maintain conversation history, and perform complex tasks across your device more intelligently than the previous version.

How does the integration with Perplexity help users?

By integrating with Perplexity, Bixby can now perform real-time web searches to answer questions about current events, travel recommendations, or general facts, providing detailed summaries directly within the Bixby interface without needing to open a browser.

Can Bixby control my phone settings better now?

Yes. Bixby now understands the "intent" behind your words. Instead of saying "Turn on Smart Stay," you can say "I want the screen to stay on while I'm looking at it," and Bixby will find and toggle the correct setting for you automatically.

Where can I try the new Bixby right now?

Currently, the update is available to users participating in the One UI 8.5 Beta Program in the US, UK, South Korea, India, Germany, and Poland. A wider stable release is expected in the near future.

Does the new UI look different?

Yes, the UI has been redesigned to look more like a modern chat application. It features a sidebar where you can see a list of your previous conversations, allowing you to quickly access information from earlier interactions.

🔎 In conclusion, Samsung's decision to transform Bixby into a conversational AI agent marks a pivotal moment for the Galaxy ecosystem. By blending local device control with the vast knowledge of the web via Perplexity, Samsung is creating a more seamless and human-centric way to interact with technology. As One UI 8.5 moves toward a stable release, this new Bixby is set to become an indispensable tool for Galaxy users worldwide, proving that the era of the truly intelligent mobile agent has finally arrived.