Samsung’s Bixby to get smarter with Perplexity-powered AI features with One UI 8.5

Samsung Bixby

• Bixby to get AI upgrade with Perplexity integration in One UI 8.5 update
• Users can ask natural language queries and get context-aware responses
• Galaxy S26 lineup to receive new Bixby in early March, wider rollout to follow

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Samsung has accidentally announced a new beta programme for its Bixby virtual assistant, which is set to arrive on eligible Galaxy devices with the Android 16-based One UI 8.5 update. This would reportedly make Bixby more contextually-aware instead of routine or rigid commands. Moreover, Bixby will 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’s smarter Bixby to arrive with upcoming One Ui 8.5 update

As per a report by Android Authority, with the upcoming OneUI 8.5 update, Bixby is getting its much-awaited artificial intelligence overhaul with the Perplexity AI integration. Although Samsung’s formal announcement has now been deleted, the original text was saved by Droid Life, giving us a clear look at what Samsung is planning with Bixby in the near future.

According to the announcement, Bixby will allow users to use natural language to ask queries and execute commands, without mentioning any specific keywords when asking the AI chatbot to change settings or perform tasks. The AI assistant will reportedly be trained to smartly understand a user’s commands and execute them based on their needs. It could be related to common phone functionalities, such as auto-tuning the brightness of your display or changing the ring volume.

For questions not related to your phone, Bixby will turn to Perplexity’s web-based AI to answer complex questions, similar to how Google’s Gemini works. Further, Bixby will be able to show cafés or restaurants with a specific cuisine, which will appear directly within the Bixby chat window itself, instead of opening a separate web page. This new AI-powered Bixby is expected to debut with Android 16-based One UI 8.5 later this year, with the Galaxy S26 lineup to receive it in early March. Initially, it is likely to be available only in select markets, with a broader rollout to other regions later.