Samsung Accidentally Reveals New Bixby with AI Perplexity Brain, Ready to Challenge Siri
JAKARTA - Samsung seems to have slipped by its own fingers. An official press release that was published and quickly retracted confirmed major changes to Bixby in One UI 8.5. The virtual assistant, which has long been considered a "sidekick" in the Galaxy ecosystem, will evolve into an AI conversation agent, with direct support from Perplexity AI for real-time web searches.
Bixby has long been known as an assistant that is less popular, even often being the first feature that new Galaxy users turn off. However, this leak shows that Samsung has never really given up. Through the One UI 8.5 update, Bixby will be transformed from a rigid command-based assistant into a "conversational device agent" that understands the context and intentions of users.
Instead of ordering one by one through technical sentences, users simply explain the problem. If the phone screen often turns off while reading, for example, Bixby will understand the context and automatically activate the "Keep Screen On" feature. This approach shifts Bixby from just a voice controller to an AI that really understands the content and settings of the device.
The biggest surprise came from the search kitchen. Samsung is said to have partnered with Perplexity AI to present web search results in real-time directly in the Bixby interface. When users ask complex questions, Bixby no longer just throws results to the browser, but presents the answer directly in the assistant, complete and contextual.
This strategy reflects the current industry direction. Apple has integrated Siri with generative AI like ChatGPT, and Samsung is now taking a similar path, but with Perplexity as its intelligent search engine. As a result, Bixby is positioned as a direct competitor to Siri's AI version, no longer just an Android complement.
The sudden withdrawal of the press release adds to the aura of mystery. Whether this is a scheduling error or a deliberate "soft leak" strategy, it is not clear. However, the beta version of One UI 8.5 has already shown the beginnings of these features, so the leak strengthens Samsung's strategy.
Behind this move, Samsung's ambition is to reduce its full dependence on Google. Gemini AI will still be present on Galaxy devices, but Samsung seems to want to offer an alternative AI experience that is more integrated with the system and the identity of the Galaxy itself. Users can later choose, use Gemini or Bixby based on Perplexity as needed.
The new generation of Bixby is expected to debut with the Galaxy S26 series. Galaxy S25 users who are participating in the beta program will likely taste it early. If Samsung manages to create an assistant that really understands simple questions like "why is my screen like this?", Bixby has the opportunity to rise from the underdog status and finally deserve to hang out permanently on the home screen.