The AI-embedded Google Pixel 9: Smarter than ever, for better or worse

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 through a suite of advanced AI features. 

As reviews pour in, it’s clear that Google’s AI-first approach to the Pixel 9 is both revolutionary and controversial. 

It pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in mobile technology, but 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.

Robert Leedham of GQ describes Gemini as “smart but not some kind of Skynet-level super intelligence.” 

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 several AI tools:

• 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. 

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 on the road. 

This is pretty unique right now, but it’s sure to become a standard feature in the near future. 

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 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, but 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, though it’s reportedly not readily manipulatable in normal use. 

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 AI to its full 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. 

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