On August 21, 2024, Google unveiled its Pixel 9 series – a huge leap in AI-powered smartphones.
As generative AI continues its march into every facet of our digital lives, the smartphone has become a second base away from our computers.
Smartphone makers, from Google to Samsung and iPhone, have been hard at work embedding AI tools into everything from emails to cameras and messaging apps to search engines.
Google has played a big card with the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL, which promise to transform how we interact with our devices.
As reviews roll in, it’s clear that Google’s AI-first approach to the Pixel 9 is both revolutionary and controversial.
Yes, it pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in mobile technology, but it raises plenty of questions in the process.
AI features are at the core of the Pixel 9 Experience
Google has integrated AI into nearly every aspect of the Pixel 9 experience, from the virtual assistant to camera tricks and productivity tools.
Let’s whip through what it brings to the table:
1. Gemini Assistant
Gemini is the default virtual helper on Pixel 9 devices, using advanced language models for natural, context-aware conversations.
Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL users get a free year of Gemini Advanced, which includes Gemini Live for real-time, voice-activated AI interactions.
Basically, it’s a mobile text and speech model that works similarly to ChatGPT with its new GPT-4o voice mode, which is starting to roll out globally.
Kevin Purdy of Ars Technica likens using Gemini to “hiring a blogger to be available to me at all times, working much faster and with far fewer complaints than its human counterparts.”
However, he also notes that this AI blogger is “easily distracted and not somebody you’d inherently trust with key decisions without further research.”
2. AI-enhanced camera system
The Pixel series has long been known for its excellent cameras, and the Pixel 9 pushes this forward with some swanky AI enhancements:
- Add Me: Seamlessly inserts users into group photos after they’ve been taken
- Video Boost: Enhances video quality, smooths transitions between lenses, and improves low-light performance
- Best Take: Combines multiple group shots to ensure everyone looks their best
3. Reimagine
Perhaps the most powerful and controversial AI feature, Reimagine, is part of the Magic Editor and allows users to add, remove, or alter elements in photos using text prompts.
This is a pretty unique tool right now and has become a focal point of the Pixel 9’s AI suite, but it’s sure to become a new standard for future smartphones.
While Google showcases its ability to add whimsical elements like hot air balloons, investigations by The Verge uncovered some shocking outputs, such as wrecks, disasters, and even bodies under sheets.
While AI image generators like MidJourney, DALL-E, and, recently, Grok can create lifelike images from scratch, the ability to modify real photos with AI definitely intensifies misuse potential.
It combines the provenance of real-life media with AI manipulation – a potentially mind-bending combination.
The Verge’s Robert Johnson is spot on: “Our ability to make problematic images is running way ahead of our ability to identify them.”
When confronted with The Verge’s findings, Google explained that its AI tools are designed to “respect the intent of user prompts” but acknowledged that this means they “may create content that may offend when instructed by the user to do so.”
The company points to its policies and terms of service as safeguards against abuse.
However, this is a flimsy barrier to anyone who intends to manipulate AI products – albeit sufficient legal protection for Google.
4. Pixel Studio
Pixel Studio is an AI-powered image generation app for creating original artwork – a mobile version of DALL-E or MidJourney.
Again, Pixel Studio can generate questionable outputs. However, Google has fixed most of the issues with its first iterations of the Gemini image model, which generated political figures in Nazi uniforms, among other things.
5. Pixel screenshots
This Pixel 9-exclusive feature automatically categorizes and tags screenshots for easy searching – highly useful for anyone who frequently takes screenshots.
The app uses AI to parse out information from screenshots, such as document fields or Wi-Fi passwords, and saves it as metadata for easy retrieval.
6. AI-enhanced productivity
Finally, the Pixel 9 series integrates AI into a few productivity tools:
- AI email composition in Gmail
- AI-powered weather forecasts and daily summaries
- Smart home control integration
The promise and peril of AI embedded in everything
The sheer number of AI features has stoked criticism about the coherence and usability of the tools on offer.
Grasping every feature is tricky. Pulling them together in everyday life will take some practice.
One day, though, kids will be growing up with these features as standard. Wielding mobile AI tools to their fullest effect will come naturally to them out-of-the-box.
All in all, the Pixel 9 series represents a colossal milestone in the evolution of smartphones, promising to transform how we interact with our devices and the world around us.
Its slightly unhinged selection of AI tools is sure to create a few controversies, but by most accounts, it comes across as an excellent device.
Attention will soon move to Apple, which is likely to respond with its own AI-embedded iPhones in the near future.
