Samsung Adds Google Gemini Support to Bespoke Refrigerators

Samsung is releasing a software update for its Bespoke line of refrigerators that integrates Google Gemini to expand the appliances' artificial intelligence capabilities. The update increases the number of identifiable food items from just over 100 to more than 2,000 by combining the company's existing on-device object recognition with Google's cloud-based models.

Refrigerators must be connected to Wi-Fi for the new features to operate. The company has offered AI-powered food recognition and meal planning on Bespoke models for several years. Previously the system could identify around 60 fresh foods and 50 packaged goods and often required users to manually enter details such as item quantity and date added.

The update removes much of that manual input.

The revised software improves brand differentiation and quantity counting. It can distinguish between Diet Coke and Coke Zero and accurately track multiples of each item. Recognition results typically appear within a few seconds even though cloud processing is involved.

The system now tracks how long certain items such as avocados have been stored and surfaces notifications when they approach expiration. It also detects when users frequently remove a specific food and offers to add it to a shopping list that can be viewed on a phone.

Gemini expands voice commands so users can ask the refrigerator to adjust settings, report when the water filter was last replaced or assist with troubleshooting. The appliance can play tutorial videos for some issues. For more complex problems the company introduced Reliability AI to monitor components and identify faults before they become serious.

When service is required the system can supply detailed diagnostic information to technicians and in some cases allow remote adjustments. A Samsung representative said that if a customer reports ice cubes coming out in clumps Reliability AI could enable agents to reduce the amount of water added to the ice tray without a home visit.

The company stated that owners must give express consent before repair personnel can access health metrics. Sharing consented data allows technicians to arrive with context and resolve issues faster.

Testing of an early version of the updated software showed the system correctly identified a can of Bull Head Shallot Sauce, a niche Taiwanese ingredient, and automatically added it to the AI Food Manager with the date first stored. Recipe suggestions also improved because the inventory tracking became more accurate.

The software is not flawless. It sometimes mislabels items or hallucinates. In one instance it identified a brightly colored bandage as a vegetable. The company continues to rely on Bixby as the sole voice assistant and does not surface Gemini branding inside the interface.

The update represents a substantial expansion of the refrigerators' machine learning features even though some limitations remain. Owners of compatible Bespoke models will receive the software upgrade this week.