Bixby to get a major AI upgrade with One UI 8.5

When the AI revolution began, many were expecting Samsung to upgrade its assistant Bixby with an AI brain, but that didn't come with the last couple of One UI upgrades. Now, a Reddit user shared some screenshots from their rooted device, running One UI 8.5 and showing off a brand new, smarter Bixby.

Bixby with AI

The screenshots show that Bixby leverages Perplexity AI for most of its tasks, suggesting the earlier rumors about Samsung partnering with Perplexity were accurate. But Bixby integration doesn't stop there. It will also work with The Weather Channel, HERE Maps, Skyscanner and Uber.

The Bixby assistant can stay on top of other apps so you can interact with it at any time. You can like/dislike answers from Bixby, continue your conversation and follow the source by tapping on the Source button, which will lead you to Perplexity's website or app.

Bixby with AI

Of course, the Bixby app remembers your conversations and does other tasks like turn off Bluetooth, turn on Dark Mode or perform other simple tasks on your handset. Uploading documents and discussing them in a predefined style is also an option.

Bixby with AI

Interestingly, Samsung has worked on bringing its own version of some Google Gemini features. For instance, Circle To Ask is an alternative to Google's Circle to Search, while Bixby Live can seemingly do pretty much everything Gemini Live can. You can share your screen with Bixby Live and discuss the contents on it, or share your camera's viewfinder and talk about your surroundings.

Bixby with AI

Even though the new Bixby and the features it might offer seem almost ready to be deployed with the upcoming One UI 8.5, there's no guarantee. Samsung might keep testing the upgraded Bixby internally a bit longer before bringing it to its users.

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