Samsung revamps Bixby to be more conversational
After years of trailing its rivals, Samsung is giving Bixby a bold reboot. Rolling out first with the One UI 8.5 beta, the assistant has been rebuilt as a conversational agent powered by advanced large language models. The result is a shift from rigid, command-style prompts to more natural back-and-forth dialogue that understands what you mean—not just what you say.
From commands to intent
The headline change is intent recognition. Instead of remembering exact setting names, you can simply describe what you want to happen in plain English. Ask Bixby to keep your display active while you’re looking at it, and it will automatically toggle the relevant setting—no menu diving required. This intent-first approach aims to make device control feel intuitive, especially for features buried deep in settings.
A built-in troubleshooter
Beyond quick toggles, Bixby now behaves more like a support partner. If your screen keeps waking up or staying on in your pocket, you can ask why. Bixby can analyze recent system behavior and recommend practical fixes—such as enabling accidental touch protection or tweaking lift‑to‑wake—so you can solve issues without scrolling through forums or settings pages.
Up-to-date web answers, no browser needed
Addressing a long-standing limitation, Samsung has given Bixby direct access to current information from the web. You can run searches and get concise summaries right within the assistant’s interface, skipping the hop to a browser tab. For quick lookups, this integration positions Bixby as a credible alternative to standalone AI chatbots and traditional search for on-the-spot answers.
Availability and rollout
The revamped Bixby is initially available to beta testers in select regions. Samsung says it plans to broaden access to more markets and languages as One UI 8.5 approaches a stable public release. If you’re not seeing the update yet, expect a wider rollout as testing ramps up.
Why this update matters
Samsung’s rethink of Bixby tackles two of the most frustrating parts of using a phone: discovering settings and troubleshooting quirks. By letting you speak naturally and by surfacing context-aware guidance, Bixby reduces the friction between intent and action. Coupled with integrated web results, it consolidates device control and quick information retrieval in one place—potentially making Bixby far more useful day to day.
Related: Meta is reportedly launching a smartwatch in 2026.
