Samsung accidentally reveals AI-powered Bixby overhaul, then deletes the entire announcement

Samsung Accidentally Leaks Updated Bixby, Confirms Perplexity Integration

On Tuesday, Samsung unveiled an updated version of its Bixby voice assistant but quietly pulled the announcement just hours later. The reason for the rollback remains unclear, but multiple news outlets had already reported on the update by then, giving a peek into what to expect. As SamMobile reports, Samsung has teamed up with Perplexity to revive its voice assistant. The collaboration will allow users to have more natural interactions with Bixby, including asking it to complete a few on-device tasks and fetch answers from the web. Rumors about Samsung's plans to integrate Perplexity into Bixby had been circulating for a few months. The confirmation comes just a week after arch-rival Apple announced it would be powering its voice assistant, Siri, using Google's Gemini. Oddly, Samsung's own suite of AI features for mobile, known as Galaxy AI, has so far been powered by Google's AI models. Samsung shared a few examples to demonstrate how the new Perplexity-powered Bixby understands your device and requests better. In one example, the company said you could ask Bixby not to lock the screen while you're still looking at it. The assistant will then understand the context and automatically enable the "Keep Screen On While Viewing" setting. You can also ask questions like why the screen is on when the device is in your pocket, and it will pull up relevant settings for you to enable or disable. The other big example turns Bixby into a proper chatbot. When you ask it to pull up information, like you would in a browser, Bixby taps into Perplexity's models to respond. Samsung originally said it would begin testing the updated Bixby as part of the One UI 8.5 beta program. A public release will follow soon, most likely with a stable version of One UI 8.5 expected alongside the Galaxy S26 series next month. However, Samsung's decision to pull its own announcement may suggest a delay, so we'll have to wait and hear more from the brand.

Samsung's smarter AI-powered Bixby will arrive with One UI 8.5

Samsung has yet to jump on the AI bandwagon with Bixby. Despite rumors of the company giving its assistant an AI upgrade last year, it did not make any announcement on this front, with Bixby mostly missing from the scene. That's changing now, with Samsung announcing that a smarter, more contextually-aware and conversational Bixby will debut in One UI 8.5. The new AI-powered Bixby will allow you to control your Galaxy device using natural language, without needing to remember the exact settings or commands. In its announcement, Samsung shared an example where you can ask Bixby to keep the screen from timing out while you're looking at it. The assistant will understand this and enable the relevant Keep Screen on While Viewing option. Likewise, you can ask Bixby about certain device behavior. In another example shared by Samsung, if a user asks, "Why is my phone screen always on when it's inside my pocket?" Bixby will understand the context and surface the relevant Accidental Touch Protection setting for them to take action on. The upgraded Bixby will also feature real-time web search powered by Perplexity, confirming its partnership with the AI startup. This will enable the voice assistant to pull information from the internet in real-time, allowing you to get more detailed information about different topics. You can even ask Bixby to show cafés or restaurants with a specific cuisine, and it will not redirect you to a web browser to display the results. Instead, they will appear within the Bixby chat window itself. Samsung will seemingly not allow voice-based app control through its voice assistant for now. New Bixby coming with One UI 8.5 The new AI-powered Bixby will debut with One UI 8.5 later this year, likely arriving on the Galaxy S26 lineup in early March. At launch, it will be available only in select markets, with a broader rollout planned for later on. Subscribe to our newsletter for in-depth Bixby AI coverage Explore our newsletter for detailed coverage of Samsung's AI-powered Bixby -- deep dives into conversational controls, the Perplexity partnership powering real-time web search, and clear context on how these updates shape Galaxy device behavior. Subscribe. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. If your Galaxy S25 is part of the One UI 8.5 beta program, it should supposedly gain access to the upgraded Bixby with the fourth beta. The new build could go live as early as this week.

Samsung deleted its Bixby reboot reveal, but confirmed when it will arrive

Samsung announced its big Bixby reboot earlier today, but has since deleted the post entirely. Through both its US and Global Newsrooms, Samsung published a post earlier today revealing its reboot of Bixby. The new assistant has been rumored for some time, and Samsung's announcement confirmed the new AI focus as well as integration with Perplexity. But, for some reason, the post has been deleted entirely. The "why" around deleting these posts is unclear, but the information is already out there. SamMobile, SammyGuru, and others picked up on Samsung's post before it was deleted, so there are a few key details floating around. First and foremost, the Bixby revival is built on the back of Perplexity, with AI being the reason Samsung is taking another stab at actually trying to get people to use Bixby. In a quote, Samsung's Woo-Joon Chai said: 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. But, despite focusing on AI, Bixby will still be useful in ways that other assistants, like Gemini, aren't always as good at. One of Samsung's examples includes a user prompt saying "I don't want the screen to time out while I'm still looking at it," with Bixby using AI to understand the natural language and user intent before enabling the "Keep Screen On While Viewing" setting. The main thing Perplexity brings to the table is support for AI answers from the web, including interactions such as "Find me hotels in Seoul that have swimming pools for kids." Samsung further said in the post that the new Bixby will launch in the One UI 8.5 beta program, implying that we'll see the full release alongside that new software update. If that is the case, that means the Galaxy S26 series will be the launchpad for the big Bixby reboot. Again, the announcement posts vanishing is weird, but it could simply be that they went out earlier than intended - even we're guilty of that sometimes - so for now we'll just have to stay tuned. The fourth One UI 8.5 beta is said to be right around the corner, with a "Bixby update" in tow.

Bixby is still a thing? Samsung unveils new Bixby assistant as part of One UI 8.5 beta -- then deletes the whole announcement

Yes, Bixby still exists and apparently is inline for a major AI overhaul. Earlier today (Jan. 20), Samsung announced a Bixby reboot and then mysteriously deleted posts about it. The refreshed assistant was announced via a post in the Samsung US newsroom (initially spotted by SamMobile). Reportedly, the post confirmed an AI future for Bixby and Perplexity integration. However, the article has since been taken down and now goes to "Page not found" error page. But we do have some key details thanks to SamMobile and SammyGuru. The big news is that Bixby's update is being powered by Perplexity as Samsung execs seem to believe AI will get people to use AI. "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," Won-Joon Choi, Samsung's Chief Operating Officer was reportedly quoted in the press release. "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," he added. SamMobile was able to capture some GIFs showing Bixby responding to queries in real time. The examples included prompts like "Find me a hotel in Seoul that has a swimming pool for kids." That's where Perplexity comes, as it will power real-time web searches. Apparently, Samsung wants Bixby to be more useful than AI assistants like Gemini or Siri. One example was a user prompting, "I don't want the screen to time out while I'm still looking at it." In this instance, Bixby would use AI to understand your intent and enable the "Keep Screen On While Viewing" setting. The new Bixby is supposed to launch as part of the One UI 8.5 beta program. The fourth beta build of One UI 8.5 is supposed to launch this week, though the Samsung-focused sites suggest it could appear as its own separate update. It all implies that the revamped Bixby and stable One UI 8.5 will launch alongside the Galaxy S26 series, which we expect to debut in February. It's not clear why Samsung deleted its post; perhaps the information went up too soon. For now we'll keep an eye on Samsung's newsroom to see if more information comes out.

Samsung revives its Bixby assistant with an AI brain transplant from Perplexity

With One UI 8.5, Bixby gets real context, live answers, and maybe a second chance * Samsung is revamping Bixby with natural language upgrades and AI-powered context awareness * The updated Bixby integrates Perplexity for real-time web search directly inside the assistant * It will roll out publicly with One UI 8.5, starting with the Galaxy S26 and later expanding Samsung's Bixby is back. Or at least, a newly revamped and upgraded version of the AI assistant is back. Bixby is returning with a conversational facelift, a Perplexity-powered brain, and a spot in Samsung's One UI 8.5 beta operating system, which began rolling out to Galaxy S25 testers this week. Bixby promises to sound more natural, understand conversational context, and actually do things you want. Samsung confirmed the new version of Bixby will debut publicly with the first stable One UI 8.5 build in a blog post, which it mysteriously deleted not long after posting it. The announcement said Bixby will arrive alongside the Galaxy S26 series in the coming weeks. For now, it's limited to a beta release in select markets, but its ambitions are global. The biggest change may be that Bixby finally understands what you mean, grasping context in ways it never had before. Ask it to keep the screen on while you're using your phone, and it will toggle the setting itself without wandering off on the internet. The new Bixby aims to eliminate the moments of error so many former users complained about. And Bixby's model won't be alone in the smartphone. Samsung has integrated Perplexity, the AI search tool engine with real-time data. That means Bixby acts as a gateway to Perplexity's knowledge, providing up-to-date answers without a browser or multiple apps. For Samsung, the shift is as much strategic as it is technical. The company has been heavily promoting Google Gemini on Galaxy devices. But Bixby is Samsung's baby, created as an answer to Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. Now, by blending Bixby's device knowledge with Perplexity's broader search smarts, Samsung can offer a different experience from modern alternatives like ChatGPT or Gemini. The new Bixby is trying to become the first voice assistant that's truly decent at both providing AI-powered answers and acting as the concierge for your device. Imagine telling your phone: "Don't let the screen turn off while I'm cooking," and having it just stay on. Or asking, "Why is my battery draining overnight?" and getting an answer rooted in both settings and search data. This is the sort of help Samsung wants Bixby to provide. Bixby reborn Still, Samsung has a reputation to overcome. Bixby has spent most of its existence as the first feature Galaxy owners switched off. It tried to distinguish itself through Samsung-only features, but even in Samsung's own operating system, Bixby has been overshadowed by Google services. Seeding the new Bixby as part of a beta may help Samsung polish up the AI assistant so that doesn't happen again. As a relaunch, it's notable for not rebranding as Bixby 2.0 or Bixby+. Samsung's assumption is apparently that if the tool is useful, people will come back. If Bixby can understand casual language and context well enough to manage phone settings and look up information without juggling apps and tabs, Samsung might pull off its resurrection attempt. Modern smartphones are complex. If Bixby can reduce friction people might actually talk to it. That's all most of us wanted from voice assistants in the first place. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button! And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Samsung announces the new avatar of Bixby with Perplexity power (and then deletes the post)

With years of whispers and leaks finally materializing, Samsung is reinventing Bixby as an AI assistant that doesn't just flip settings but thinks, talks, and searches the web in real time. Even though Samsung promotes Google's Gemini AI voice assistant on its latest smartphones, the company has revived Bixby, its in-house voice assistant, with deep web search capabilities powered by Perplexity. The new version will be available with the forthcoming One UI 8.5 software update. The new, revamped Bixby can now understand conversational natural language. In other words, you can speak to the voice assistant as if you're talking to a person, without taking unnatural pauses or sounding like a robot (via a 9To5Google report). A smarter Bixby that understands you and your phone "We redesigned Bixby to enable more natural interactions and intuitive device control," Samsung wrote in the now-deleted newsroom post that announced the new Bixby AI assistant. In addition to the natural language understanding, the voice assistant can now access the device's settings. Recommended Videos For instance, users should be able to invoke the assistant and ask that they don't want the screen to time out while they're still looking at it. In response, Bixby should redirect them to the "Keep Screen On While Viewing" option in the settings menu. If Bixby can indeed access the device's settings, it could be a significant quality-of-life improvement for users. Buyers will no longer have to wade through long support pages or YouTube videos to find certain features or options deep within the Settings app. Thanks to the Perplexity integration, Bixby should also be able to handle multi-step tasks that involve browsing the internet. So, commands like "Find me the best restaurant for eating burgers in my locality" or "Find the best cafes for having coffee near my house" should return meaningful results rather than just a basic internet search. Given that the new Bixby is said to launch with One UI 8.5, it should come out alongside the Galaxy S26 series, which is expected to break cover in late February and go on sale in the first half of March. For now, the AI-infused Bixby should be available as part of the fourth One UI 8.5 beta update (on eligible devices). However, the deletion of the official newsroom post is a bit puzzling. Samsung might have pushed the post by mistake or earlier than planned, but for now, the company seems to have backtracked on its Bixby reboot. Even so, I'll expect the next One UI 8.5 beta update to come with the AI-infused Bixby.

Samsung Makes New Bixby Official in One UI 8.5 With Perplexity AI

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. The betas of One UI 8.5, as well as supposedly leaked screenshots, showed a potentially renewed investment in Bixby from Samsung, one that will allow the on-device assistant to act as a device agent powered by AI. That AI agent was rumored to be able to control a lot of on-device settings, but if your query required more, Samsung would lean on Perplexity AI. This morning, Samsung officially announced the new Bixby AI agent, as well as the connection with Perplexity AI. However, they've since pulled the press release, but we are still able to view it at this time. In the press release (which we've included below), Samsung confirms that the "New Bixby" will arrive in One UI 8.5. Again, beta builds have showcased the new Bixby, but this is the first time Samsung is publicly announcing its arrival. The new Bixby will be able to control a lot of what happens on your device with you talking to it more naturally. Think of it as an assistant that can change settings without you knowing exactly what the setting is called. That's how Samsung describes the feature, which sounds pretty basic in that regard. Honestly, it sounds like a waste of energy, but maybe people are regularly talking to their phones about settings? Where this gets more powerful is in the connection to Perplexity AI. Should you want to find information that is not on your device, Samsung will lean on Perplexity AI to find it via the web. If you want to look up "hotels in Seoul that have swimming pools for kids," you can do that. That's the only example of this connection they give, but you get the idea. This is all very much how Apple's Siri currently works. If you want to ask Siri to complete simpler tasks, it can handle those on-device pretty easily. However, for more detailed answers that require AI research, Siri will use ChatGPT. What does this all mean for Google's Gemini on Samsung devices? It shouldn't change much, at least for now. Most Samsung devices allow you to set Google as your default assistant, which then gives you easy access to Gemini. With this upgrade to Bixby, you could also switch over to Bixby if you'd rather get those on-device controls and then utilize Perplexity over Gemini. If something changes with any of that, we'll let you know. As for availability, the press release simply states that the new Bixby will be available in stable One UI 8.5 in "select markets," with broader rollout to follow.

Samsung Takes the Apple Route With Perplexity-Powered Bixby Features

Bixby will use Perplexity's web search capabilities to answer queries Samsung announced a new beta programme for its upgraded AI-powered Bixby assistant, which is set to arrive on eligible Galaxy devices with the Android 16-based One UI 8.5 update. The update brings various capabilities and features to the voice assistant, which will now use Perplexity's web search functionality to generate answers to user queries, similar to what Apple did when it integrated ChatGPT with its Siri assistant. Samsung also highlighted that users will soon be able to converse with the upgraded version of Bixby using natural language, eliminating the need to state the exact names of the settings or commands. Samsung's AI-Powered Bixby to Leverage Perplexity's Web Search Capabilities The South Korean tech giant said that it is upgrading its on-device assistant with AI features, which will be first rolled out to eligible Galaxy devices in select markets with the Android 16-based One UI 8.5 update. Soon, Bixby will allow users to use natural language to ask queries and execute commands. Users will no longer have to mention specific keyboards when asking the AI chatbot to change settings or perform tasks. The AI-powered version of Samsung's Bixby does not need to know "how device menus are structured or remember specific terms" to do specific tasks on command, the company highlighted. This, Samsung claims, reduces the "time and effort" a user has to put in to change settings and features on their Galaxy devices. As an example, the tech giant cited a scenario where a user wants their phone's screen not time out during inactivity. Users can simply tell Bixby, "I don't want the screen to time out while I'm still looking at it," and the AI-powered assistant will understand the command and turn on the Keep Screen on While Viewing setting. Another significant update to Bixby is the Perplexity-powered real-time web search capabilities. With the One UI 8.5 update, Bixby will be able to access information from the internet while displaying the results within the Bixby user interface. Users will not have to open a web browser to search for information, as all the relevant links will be presented within the chat window, offering a more "consistent" experience. This appears to be straight out of Apple's playbook, as the Cupertino tech giant also relies on third-party AI firms to perform on-device AI tasks. While iPhone models currently redirect users to ChatGPT for complex queries, the company is also collaborating with Google to bring Gemini's AI capabilities to the upgraded version of Siri, which was first unveiled at the WWDC in 2024. Google will provide Gemini models for Apple's "next-generation" foundation models, which will offer a more personalised experience to users. It is set to roll out later this year.

OneUI 8.5 Beta 4 Could Roll Out Soon With Upgraded Bixby, New Features

Samsung will start rolling out the Android 16-based OneUI 8.5 beta 4 update to select beta testers soon, a tipster claims. Additionally, the changelog for the firmware has also surfaced online, hinting at the features, improvements, and bug fixes the update might bring. The highlight will reportedly be the new Bixby upgrade, which could leverage the AI capabilities of third-party firms, like Perplexity and DeepSeek. This comes shortly after a report highlighted that Bixby, in OneUI 8.5, will roll out with various new upgrades. It is said to be able to generate images, videos, documents, and podcasts, which can be attached to user queries. OneUI 8.5 Beta 4 Said to Bring Upgraded AI-Powered Bixby In a post on X, tipster Tarun Vats (@tarunvats33) has leaked the changelog of the upcoming OneUI 8.5 beta 4 version. The leaker claims that Samsung could start rolling out the new beta version soon. The changelog was reportedly seen on the Samsung Galaxy S25, which was launched in India last year. While the update is not expected to bring any new and significant features, it is tipped to introduce the company's upgraded Bixby assistant. Moreover, the beta 4 version of the upcoming One UI 8.5 update is also said to resolve multiple software issues. This includes a bug that popped up when searching through one's history in the phone app. It reportedly also addresses a problem where calls switch to another device under "specific conditions" when connected to a Bluetooth headset. The beta update is also said to resolve the issue that appeared when a user pasted a phone number into the handset's dialer after clicking on a call link. Lastly, it also brings a fix for the AI Select issue, where the Galaxy AI feature does not automatically close when a user copies the text. Recently, a report highlighted that an unspecified firmware version of the Android 16-based OneUI 8.5 will integrate Perplexity and DeepSeek's AI chatbot capabilities into Samsung's Bixby. It will reportedly be able to answer queries with Circle to Search. The AI-powered assistant could get new features, like generating podcasts, music, audio files, images, videos, and documents for users, which can later be attached to queries. Samsung will reportedly introduce eight AI agents with Bixby Live, including General, Tour Guide, Interview, Positive Support, Storyteller, Listening Ear, and Dress Matching.

Samsung accidentally reveals smarter Bixby powered by Perplexity AI: Check details

The post was later taken down, and the link now shows a Page not found error. Samsung's virtual assistant Bixby may be getting a major upgrade, even though the company has not talked much about it in recent years. With the upcoming One UI 8.5 update, Bixby is set to become much smarter and more useful, thanks to a new partnership with Perplexity AI. On Tuesday, Samsung briefly published an announcement about a new Bixby beta. The post was later taken down, and the link now shows a Page not found error. However, the original text was saved by Droid Life, giving us a clear look at what Samsung is planning. According to that announcement, Bixby has been "upgraded to operate as a conversational device agent." In simple terms, this means users will be able to talk to their phones in a more natural way. Instead of using exact commands, you can ask Bixby to change settings or control features using everyday language. Also read: DeepMind and Anthropic CEOs warn AI is already impacting junior roles This builds on improvements Samsung has already made in recent One UI versions. Since One UI 7, users have been able to search the Settings app using natural phrases. For example, typing "my eyes are tired" can show options related to brightness or eye comfort. With One UI 8.5, Bixby will be able to make these kinds of changes directly, no matter which app you are using. For questions that are not about your phone, Bixby will turn to Perplexity. The assistant will use Perplexity's web-based AI to answer complex questions, similar to how Google's Gemini works. Also read: JioHotstar Super and Premium plans to get costlier from January 28: Check new prices This move raises questions about Samsung's future relationship with Google Gemini. The Galaxy S25 series launched with a customised version of Gemini, and Samsung has often featured Gemini in its marketing. Samsung also said the new Bixby will roll out with One UI 8.5 "in select markets." The update is currently in beta and is expected to arrive in stable form alongside the Galaxy S26 series in the coming weeks.