Did you know that HTML and the concept of the World Wide Web were designed in the 1980s, but it only gained consumer-level attention and mass usage in the early 2000s? It took another decade for developing nations to jump on the bandwagon. Why the history lesson? To remind you that we’re all experiencing a similar adoption cycle again—this time with AI in the spotlight.
AI is capturing the masses’ attention. With the release of new AI devices like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1, it’s clear that AI-based consumer devices will be the future. This poses a significant challenge to the cash flows of big tech giants like Google, so it’s no surprise that firms like Google and Apple are incorporating consumer-level AI features into their devices.
Google Pixel 9 Series: AI Baked in at Just the Right Heat
Google has been on a streak of announcing new AI features across its services, from search to productivity. The company has invested heavily in AI and ML projects through Google DeepMind and other subsidiaries. While many of these investments have been successful, most never reached the public stage. But with the AI race in full swing, Google is now fully focused on making AI accessible to the public.
With the Google Pixel 9 series, Google has done a phenomenal job of integrating AI features into consumer-grade devices. They’ve captured the tech world’s attention by introducing features that aren’t just theoretical AI implementations but practical tools that anyone can use in their daily lives. The features in the Pixel 9 series are intuitive, easy to use, and demonstrate AI done right. In the rest of this blog, we’ll explore the best AI features in the Google Pixel 9 series and how these features will shape the future of smartphones.
Top AI Features in the Pixel 9 Series
Here are the standout AI features in the Pixel 9 series based on their utility:
Add Me Camera Feature
Watching the announcement of this feature was one of the ‘are you for real!’ ‘this is awesome’ moment for us. Sincerely, an awesome feature. The “Add Me” camera feature in the Pixel 9 series might just replace the need for selfies. This feature lets you take two separate photos and merge them using AI. Imagine you and your friend in Paris and trying to capture a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower. It’s challenging to get the perfect shot with a selfie, but a rear camera photo can do the trick. Instead of handing over your pricey smartphone to a stranger, one person can take a photo, and the other can take the next photo in the same frame. AR helps the second person frame it correctly, and AI merges the two images into a single, seamless photo.
AI Upgrade to Magic Editor
If you’ve noticed the recent AI-powered changes Adobe made to its photo editing suite, Google is doing something similar—perhaps even better—with its Magic Editor feature on Pixel smartphones. You can simply circle parts of an image, add text prompts for what you want, and voilà, it’s done. A good example of this feature is given below. The feature converted the photo from a random image of a person sitting on the grass to a beautiful scenic view, all thanks to AI.
Pixel Screenshots
Taking and managing screenshots will never be the same on Pixel devices. Usually, we take screenshots and forget about them until we need them. But when that time comes, it’s a hassle to find the right one. We’ve all been there—endlessly scrolling through the screenshot folder. With Pixel Screenshot, advanced AI features of Gemini help you find the screenshot with a simple search. The energy-efficient Gemini Nano, built into the new Pixel devices, analyzes each screenshot on the device without cloud assistance and pulls up the information on demand. You can also categorize each screenshot for better organization and searchability.
Gemini Can Now Understand What’s on Your Screen
With new and improved AI capabilities, Google Gemini on Pixel devices can understand what’s on your screen and provide contextual responses. For instance, Gemini can add a list of restaurants from a YouTube travel video directly to Google Maps.
Gemini Live: Google’s Attempt to Create Jarvis
We were all amazed by the demos of ChatGPT voice. Google is aiming for the same wow effect with Gemini Live, a voice-interactive option for Gemini that allows voice interaction. However, there’s a catch—it’s only available to Gemini Advanced subscribers.
Improved Pixel Studio
With an on-device diffusion model running on Tensor G4, the Google Pixel series now has the niche ability to generate images from prompts built-in. This feature allows users to create images, stickers, graphics, and more using AI, all without a third-party solution.
Call Notes
This is another revolutionary feature made possible by AI. It helps users capture key points from calls for future reference. This feature will be invaluable for business users who deal with numerous calls daily. While privacy might be a concern, Google assures that calls and summaries are “never sent to the cloud” and that everyone on the call is notified before transcription and summarization. Call Notes works on calls that are “at least 30 seconds long.”
Custom Weather Reports
Pixel’s new AI capabilities help users get customized weather reports with only the information they need, eliminating the need to sift through excessive data and numbers. This feature will be especially useful for frequent travellers and people on the go.
These are just a few of the AI features that indicate the future of smartphones will revolve around AI capabilities, not just processor speed or camera resolution.
AI is becoming a part of daily life, just like how HTML and the World Wide Web transitioned from research topics in the ’80s and ’90s to mass adoption in the 2000s. AI is no longer a geeky, sci-fi concept—it’s something that will soon be accessible to everyone. If you’re interested in understanding how AI can impact your business, check out our master’s programs in AI, particularly our Master’s in AI for Business.