Samsung is launching an improved Bixby with its own AI this year

“We will further develop Bixby by applying Gen-AI technology,” Roh said in Korean through a translator.

Bixby was launched in 2017 with Samsung’s Galaxy S8 smartphone. The voice assistant has a number of features, including live translation and restaurant recommendations. The Bixby Vision tool allows a person to use their phone’s camera to scan anything in front of them and Bixby will then offer information about it.

CNBC had previously reported that Samsung was working on an improved Bixby, but this is the first time the company has confirmed a launch timeline.

Gen AI or generative AI refers to artificial intelligence that can generate content such as answers to questions or images. An LLM is the AI ​​model that is trained with huge amounts of data and underlies generative AI.

However, Samsung will stick to its strategy of allowing multiple voice assistants on its devices, Roh said. For example, Google’s own AI assistant is available on Samsung’s latest devices.

Roh’s confirmation of the Bixby upgrade comes just under a month after Apple announced that its assistant Siri will be getting an AI upgrade. Siri will be able to access OpenAI’s ChatGPT to answer additional queries when needed.

The Bixby upgrade is part of Samsung’s broader initiative to market AI features on its devices. On Wednesday, the company launched two new foldable devices – the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 – and unveiled some new AI tools to entice people to upgrade to higher-end smartphones.

“We are strengthening and expanding the AI ​​capabilities of our products,” said Roh.

“As consumers use more and more AI features, they can actually feel the convenience and benefits they bring. I firmly believe that Galaxy AI and mobile AI are strong motivators and drivers for purchasing new products.”