After the Galaxy Note 7 battery disaster several months ago, Samsung teased us with their upcoming AI services. Last week Samsung introduced Bixby, which is their new AI service. It is similar to Apple Siri, Google Now and Microsoft Cortana. It is on the new Galaxy S8. Samsung is coming late to the AI party, but since we are still very early in this new wave, being late won’t hurt them. The big question is, how usable and accurate will Bixby be?
Current levels of AI like Siri, Now and Cortana have delighted the child in us, but are so far very unimpressive and inaccurate. Sure, when they were launched, it was exciting, but after a few years and after many improvements, they still get more wrong than right. The excitement is gone. Today we expect more from AI.
Will Samsung Bixby be a hit or a flop?
This is the world Bixby is entering. Are they ready? I have not yet used Bixby, but let me share my expectations. While I expect Bixby to be a welcomed addition to the world of AI, I don’t expect it to be very useful in these early stages. Every Bixby competitor is wrong more than it’s right. However, AI is the future, so it will get better as the months and years go by.
Samsung is coming at this from a different angle. Apple Siri, Google Now and Microsoft Cortana were introduced as a new service from companies on their growth path. Amazon Alexa and Google Home have also entered this space and are even better. IBM Watson is even better. However, all these companies were in their growth mode, and their AI offerings only added to their position in the mind.
Direct AI competitors Like Apple Siri, Google Now, Microsoft Cortana
If Samsung introduced Bixby a year ago, before the fire storm, they would have had a stronger chance of success. They would have been in the same position as their competitors. However, they didn’t. And a few short months ago Samsung dealt with a blow that would have put a smaller company out of business.
So, this is a shaky time in the history of Samsung. Now they are introducing Bixby after that fiasco. They could indeed be successful if it’s a great technology. But the stakes are higher than ever. If Bixby is good–I mean really good–it could take the eye of customers and investors off of yesterday’s disaster and focus on the future. That’s the big if.
Other AI competitors Like Amazon Alexa, Google Home and IBM Watson
Remember, wireless and smartphones are a very strong, growth industry. They always have been and they always will be. But as an industry, that is changing, as it always has changed. Going forward, growth will come from new areas and AI will play in increasingly important role.
So now we wait. We wait to see if Samsung Bixby is a hit. We wait to see if they can wave their magic wand and make the horrific and disastrous yesterday disappear and be replaced by a fast growing and captivating new growth story. We wait to see if Samsung can indeed step back into the plus side of the equation. So, Samsung, you are up at bat. Hope you hit a home run. You need it.
