Samsung is gearing up to revolutionize its voice assistant, Bixby, with an artificial intelligence (AI) makeover, aiming to enhance its conversational capabilities. Won-joon Choi, Executive Vice President at Samsung’s mobile business, revealed in an interview with CNBC that the company intends to equip Bixby with generative AI technology. This upgrade aims to make Bixby more intelligent and capable of engaging in more natural conversations, thereby enhancing its functionality across Samsung's ecosystem of products. Originally introduced seven years ago with the Galaxy S8 smartphone, Bixby has since been integrated into various Samsung devices, including smartwatches and appliances.

Compared to AI chatbots empowered by generative AI, Bixby has lagged behind in its conversational abilities, primarily relying on users asking questions and receiving direct answers.Samsung's move to enhance Bixby comes in the wake of its recent unveiling of the Galaxy S24 series, which boasts a range of AI-enabled features such as live phone call translations, voice recording transcription, video search, and photo editing. This strategic push towards integrating advanced AI features underscores Samsung's commitment to ushering in a new era of mobile AI. The competition in the smartphone market, particularly against Apple, has intensified, with Samsung aiming to reclaim its position as the leading smartphone brand.

Despite advancements in AI technology, voice AI still presents challenges, as noted by PYMNTS. While consumers express interest in voice technology, its widespread adoption hinges on its ability to match human capabilities and offer greater convenience and efficiency. Research by PYMNTS Intelligence underscores the potential of voice technology, with a majority of consumers expressing willingness to embrace it if it can replicate human capabilities, offer convenience, and enhance efficiency. As Samsung endeavors to enhance Bixby with generative AI, the spotlight remains on the future of voice AI and its impact on consumer interactions and experiences.