Humans have gotten so good at building technology that keeps us company, we’ve now created bots specifically to hang out with us. Digital assistants are the latest example.
Artificial intelligence serves plenty of practical purposes, sure, but let’s be honest, it’s also just another excuse to have someone (or something) to talk to.
Until now, the digital assistants offered by major tech companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung have been faceless, formless voices, from Google Assistant to Siri to Alexa. But some informal leaks suggest that a 3D AI assistant for Samsung users might be in the works.
How Real Is This?
Is this a marketing collaboration between Samsung and Lightfarm? The internet lit up with talk of Samantha Samsung, an animated character with short brown hair and piercing blue eyes, after someone stumbled onto her unannounced illustrations and 3D renderings on the website of Lightfarm, a Brazilian design studio.
Lightfarm is an award-winning visual-arts studio that worked with Cheil, a Samsung-owned marketing agency, on this project. Lightfarm explained in a since-deleted blog post that Sam already existed as a 2D chatbot handling automated responses across a few platforms, and was redesigned into a more modern, expressive 3D character.
They described how “the team committed itself to creating realistic materials for her hair and clothing,” and honestly, one look at her and you can tell they did a great job.
Why Do People Love Sam?
If the images didn’t already give it away, Sam became a hit online thanks to her Pixar-like design and animation, especially among anime fans, many of whom called her the internet’s new “waifu.”
From the handful of test clips Lightfarm released, along with the leaked images, you can see how much detail went into her design, animated across numerous frames with a range of expressions and poses.
She quickly earned a spot among the top characters being cosplayed on TikTok. Given how much buzz Samsung generated before even officially announcing this project, it’s easy to imagine the boost to their customer base (and the potential dent in iPhone sales) once Sam’s arrival is confirmed.
While some people have shown genuine excitement and support for the new virtual assistant, others have taken their interest in less appropriate directions. One thing is clear, though: everyone is waiting for Sam to be officially unveiled as the new AI assistant, or at least as Samsung’s 3D mascot.
Is Sam a Replacement for Bixby?
As you might know, Samsung recently refreshed and improved its existing virtual assistant, Bixby, so it seems unlikely to be replaced anytime soon. There’s also been no official word from Samsung about Sam.
But given Bixby’s relative lack of popularity compared to Alexa or Siri, Samsung could still change course. The fact that Lightfarm quickly took down all the blog posts related to Sam leaves a disappointing possibility: the digital character may have simply been a shelved project never meant for public release.
That would be a real loss for Samsung, though, because launching her as either a new 3D mascot or as a virtual assistant alongside Bixby could send their popularity through the roof.
It’s a reasonable expectation too, since Samsung has a track record of working with virtual influencers like Lil Miquela, and a clear interest in developing digital personas. What do you think, did Sam make you interested enough to consider a Samsung Galaxy once she’s officially introduced? Tell us below!
