Samsung says Bixby will coexist with Galaxy AI

If you thought Galaxy AI would spell the end for Bixby the same way Copilot and Bing Chat meant the end for Cortana, you would be wrong. It looks like Samsung plans to keep the digital assistant around, at least for a little longer.

Samsung announced Galaxy AI in November 2023 and fully introduced the software during Galaxy Unpacked today. The hybrid on-device and cloud-based AI solution is said to provide “barrier-free communication, simplified productivity, and unconstrained creativity.” As one of the Galaxy S24’s highlight features, it can be used in a variety of ways that range from answering questions to editing images and more.

Given that some of Galaxy AI’s capabilities happen to intersect with Bixby’s capabilities, you may be wondering about the future of Samsung’s digital assistant.

Bixby has always been a serviceable digital assistant, but it has sort of lost its purpose over the years as many Samsung products began supporting Alexa and Google Assistant. And now that Galaxy AI is here, it would seem as if Bixby’s existence has been completely overshadowed. While some may say it would probably be best for the digital assistant to fade away at this point, Samsung is refusing to let it go.

When asked about Bixby going forward in a Q&A, Samsung made it clear that Bixby is still active and will coexist with Galaxy AI. The company also added that Bixby would continue to grow.

Samsung says Bixby can be considered a feature within Galaxy AI. The company mention during CES 2024 that AI would play a role in helping SmartThings and Bixby work together. For example, Samsung says Bixby can now automatically route commands to the most appropriate devices depending on your location and the activities you’re doing.