Samsung Electronics today announced that it will update its voice assistant Bixby¹ with enhanced AI in home appliances.² Bixby, which will be upgraded starting from August 27, will have a comprehension ability that better understands complex commands based on natural language, providing easier device control for users.

“Samsung’s home appliances have been developed and are evolving in the way that can elevate the user experience,” said Miyoung Yoo, EVP and Head of Software Development Team of Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “By introducing the upgraded Bixby, we look forward to enhancing consumers’ lives, enabling easier use of their appliances as well as providing a better, more personalized user experience.”

Samsung launched multiple home appliances with AI features earlier this year, such as the Bespoke 4-Door French Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub³ featuring AI Vision Inside,⁴ Bespoke Jet Bot Combo AI with upgraded AI Object Recognition,⁵ and Bespoke AI Laundry Combo with AI Home.⁶ Taking another step forward, Samsung aims to create an even richer consumer experience by introducing new features.

Bixby: Better Voice Control for Appliances

The upgraded Bixby enables better voice control through three main capabilities⁷ — understanding complex commands (Multi-Intent), recalling previous conversations (Multi-Turn) and responding to product-related questions (Device Q&A).⁸ Samsung is providing the update to five products launched in 2024 first: the Bespoke 4-Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub; Bespoke AI Laundry Combo; Bespoke Slide-in Range; Bespoke Jet Bot Combo AI; and Bespoke AI WindFree Gallery Freestanding Air Conditioner.⁹

First, the upgraded Bixby can understand commands that consist of multiple or unrelated requests in one sentence. Users can control other devices connected by SmartThings¹⁰ with the upgraded Bixby as well, so they can express their needs more naturally than before. For example, users can ask the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo, “Hi Bixby, what’s the weather like? Start washing and clean the living room” and Bixby will process the command sequentially.¹¹

Second, Bixby is capable of remembering contexts of past conversations,¹² allowing users to engage in ongoing dialogues with devices rather than issuing isolated commands. If users say to the Bespoke 4-Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub, “Hi Bixby, tell me what time the family dinner is today” and Bixby responds to it, users can follow up and say, “Then set the washing machine to finish one hour before that.”¹³

Last but not least, it provides assistance to users when they encounter problems while using appliances or become curious about certain cycles or features. When the screen on the appliance shows an error code, users can turn to Bixby to ask what it means instead of searching through the user manual or contacting the call center. They can ask questions like, “Hi Bixby, I can hear clicking noises in the fridge, why is that?”, and Bixby will provide several answers. Appliances with screens, such as refrigerators with AI Family Hub or the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo, will display the response on the screen, while appliances without screens will provide audio responses.

Generative Wallpaper: A Unique Background for Each User’s Family Hub Screen

The refrigerators with Family Hub, launched in Korea and the U.S. after 2022, are also being upgraded with a new feature. A new wallpaper feature called Generative Wallpaper¹⁴ allows users to create custom wallpapers.¹⁵

Users can choose one theme from seven categories and select a style among six art styles. With these two selected options, the Family Hub creates an image custom to the user. The image can be applied to the cover screen or whiteboard, or also be saved in an album for future use.

Samsung plans to exhibit the Bespoke AI appliances featuring the upgraded Bixby and Generative Wallpaper at IFA 2024, allowing more people to experience and understand how it will enhance the user experience.

¹ Bixby is Samsung’s brand of Internet of Things (IoT) voice assistant. Bixby service availability may vary depending on the country. Bixby recognizes certain accents/dialects of English (US, UK, Indian), Chinese, Korean, French, German, Italian, Spanish (Spain, Latin America), and Portuguese (Brazil). The user interface may change and differ by device. The availability of Bixby features and content providers may vary depending on the country/carrier/language/device model/OS version. A Samsung account log-in and data network connection (Wi-Fi or data network) are required.

² The update is available for appliances launched in 2024 including the Bespoke 4-Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub; Bespoke AI Laundry Combo; Bespoke Slide-in Range; Bespoke Jet Bot Combo AI; and Bespoke AI WindFree Gallery Freestanding Air Conditioner.

³ This is a global name, naming is different by region. North America: Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with AI Family Hub+, Latin America: Bespoke 4-Door French Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub+.

⁴ As of March 2024, AI Vision Inside can recognize up to 33 food items, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. If a food item is not recognizable, it may be listed as an unknown item. AI Vision Inside cannot identify or list any food items in the refrigerator door bins or freezer. It recognizes food items based on deep learning models, which may be updated periodically to improve accuracy.

⁵ Based on Samsung’s deep learning model trained using predefined sets of data. May yield incomplete or incorrect information. New datasets may be introduced to Samsung’s learning model from time to time to enhance its accuracy.

⁶ Does not mean all services available on the AI Home are AI or generate information or outcomes using AI. AI Smart Dial, AI Wash & Dry, and Voice enabled with Bixby accessible through the AI Home utilize AI-based algorithms, which may be updated periodically to improve accuracy. AI-based algorithms may generate incomplete or incorrect information.

⁷ In order to control other devices, all devices must be connected to SmartThings under the same Samsung account. Control is limited to connected devices’ original features, and voice control activated features may be limited, depending on the type of the product and the model that execute the commands.

⁸ Multi-Intent and Multi-Turn are supported in the following languages: English (US, UK, India), Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Europe), French, German, Italian, and Portuguese (Brazil). Device Q&A is currently available for English (US) and Korean. The following scenario is based on English (US) and may vary depending on user language settings.

⁹ Sold in Korea only.

¹⁰ Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. Users must use the same log-in account between devices.

¹¹ The following scenario is based on English (US) and may vary depending on user language settings or regional differences.

¹² Only available while the dialog box is open.

¹³ This is an example in which a family dinner is scheduled and the smart control is turned on, with the end of the wash cycle being possible within that timeframe.

¹⁴ A Wi-Fi connection is required.

¹⁵ Currently the service allows up to 5 images to be created per day.