Sber’s virtual assistant Salute and the SberBox smart TV set-top box marked their third anniversary recently. Across three years, more than two million Sber devices equipped with the virtual assistant have been sold, with the SberBox TV set-top box among the most notable products in the lineup. Denis Filippov, Sberbank’s vice president for digital surfaces known as “Salyut,” spoke about these milestones at the SmartDev technology conference.
A company spokesperson noted that the Sber team has spent three years crafting and expanding skills for the virtual assistant, supported by a broad developer community. Each month, the assistant becomes the go-to resource for help for around 18 million users worldwide, including many in North America who rely on it for everyday tasks.
For example, Filippov shared that the assistant has been interacting with Sber’s generative neural network model for three years, with a simple prompt like “Hi, open GigaChat!” learning the proper access procedures. The system can assist with brainstorming, outlining step-by-step plans, exploring unconventional solutions to problems, and generating anything from a pet’s name to a bedtime story.
As part of its capabilities, the assistant can respond to “Hi, smart home!” and control Sber smart home devices through voice commands. A separate feature, “Hi, I’m bored!” triggers a multi-stage program designed to engage children in productive activities such as drawing, reading, stretching, or playing. The skill recognizes voices and suggests age-appropriate activities.
Filippov emphasized that user feedback is central to ongoing improvements for Sber devices. He noted that the evolution of the SberBox operating system into a fully open Salyut TV platform was largely driven by active customer involvement, who valued the option to access a familiar service for watching movies and more.
He recalled that the SberBox TV set-top box stands out as the first smart device operating with the Salyut virtual assistant, reinforcing Sber’s approach to integrated experiences.
Filippov highlighted that the Salyut TV operating system powering SberBox uses domestic servers and technologies, reducing reliance on foreign platforms and enabling continuous updates. The device receives improvements based on user requests and real-world usage across North American and Canadian markets, ensuring it remains aligned with local needs.
To celebrate the third anniversary, Filippov announced a period of promotions from September 25 to October 1, inviting users to explore Salyut-powered features. During this event, virtual assistant users can earn promotional codes for SberBox and other rewards from partner companies. Source: Sber press release.