Some of the biggest news from January 2024's Galaxy Unpacked event was the arrival of Samsung's Galaxy AI. This exciting new technology puts artificial intelligence capabilities in the palm of your hand. This feature was initially introduced on the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, but has also been introduced on older phones.
Samsung is no stranger to AI and has added AI-enabled voice control and interaction features to its Bixby service. But Galaxy AI goes further, creating and processing text and images using more advanced features that are only possible with generative AI.
Questions remain. What is Galaxy AI, what can it do, and how can it be used?
First, let's briefly explain Galaxy AI.
Galaxy AI can return helpful answers to text prompts, including Google Gemini, OpenAI's GPT-4, Meta AI, and other generative AI models. These language skills make it easier to use computers and phones, and unlock capabilities that were once out of reach. Galaxy AI can write messages, initiate simple image searches, translate foreign languages, and more.
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One of the recent additions to AI models is multimodal input. This means that you can share information with your model in several different ways. For example, you can ask a multimodal AI to create a table from the images you upload. Galaxy AI can “see” photos, so it understands typed commands and uses voice prompts to generate responses.
Source: Samsung
Samsung has partnered with Google to add advanced capabilities to Galaxy AI using Google's Gemini Pro and Imagen 2, the latest and greatest AI models available.
Galaxy AI is actually a collection of different sized models, the smallest of which can run on your phone. However, some tasks require large models for best results, run in Google Cloud on a service called Vertex AI, and require an internet connection.
The result is the same. With relatively quick AI assistance, you can create more content and achieve more with less effort.
What can Galaxy AI do?
Galaxy AI has a lot of features, and Samsung is making it available in several apps to improve the experience.
Samsung Keyboard brings translation functionality to all your apps. Samsung Galaxy smartphones can also handle live translation of calls and messages. To use the live translation feature, the interpreter splits the screen and flips one side. This allows your phone to translate for someone who speaks another language.
There are also several photo editing features that allow you to quickly fix issues like shadows and reflections. You can also reposition objects in your photo or remove them as if they never existed.
Source: Samsung
Summarize your notes with a tap, and Magic Compose helps compose your message with generative AI assistance. Photomoji makes your messages fun and personalized with custom emojis created from your photos.
How to use Galaxy AI on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone
In most cases, Galaxy AI works with little effort. Photos automatically benefit from AI enhancements that generate 2x and 10x zoom levels, as well as improved low-light photography.
Source: Samsung
Other features are just a tap away, including editing suggestions to easily fix common photo issues. Galaxy AI's Instant Slow Motion is one of the few features exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy S24 and S23 lineup, allowing you to press and hold on a recorded video to generate more frames. Generative editing allows you to tap or draw around objects in your photo to remove them from the photo or move them to a new location.
Press and hold the Home button, then tap, circle, or doodle something on the screen to search for that image on Google. If you see the Galaxy AI button near the bottom of the screen, tap it to access special features like creating custom wallpapers, reformatting notes, and summarizing web pages.
What phones are equipped with Galaxy AI?
When Samsung first released Galaxy AI in early 2024, it was limited to Samsung Galaxy 24 series phones. Fortunately, Samsung didn't waste any time and released his Galaxy AI to some of its other phones, tablets, and earphones. Galaxy AI is available at:
- samsung galaxy s24 series
- Samsung Galaxy S23 series*
- Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
- samsung galaxy z flip 5
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series
- Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and Buds 2 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
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Samsung will also release a stripped-down version of Galaxy AI that omits the instant slow-motion feature on the following devices:
- samsung galaxy s22 series
- samsung galaxy z flip 4
- samsung galaxy z fold 4
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8 Ultra
Also, if you have a Samsung Galaxy S21 series phone, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, or Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, two of Galaxy AI's most popular features, Circle to Search and Magic Rewrite, can help you device.
How much does Galaxy AI cost?
Galaxy AI is free, but you need to log in to your Samsung account to use some features. These features require more advanced AI processing capabilities that rely on Vertex AI on Google Cloud. Samsung will need to track who is using Google Cloud for accounting purposes, and could end up incurring associated fees.
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If you have a compatible phone with these features enabled, you can use AI features in any app without paying. That could change in 2026. Samsung includes a footnote regarding this limitation on the Galaxy S24 store page.
According to Samsung Mobile President TM Roh, at least some features will remain free. No further information is available at this time. Please check back for the latest information on pricing and billing mechanisms related to Galaxy AI.
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In the meantime, you can enjoy artificial intelligence on your compatible Samsung device without worrying about cost. In case Samsung's pricing puts Galaxy AI's key features beyond your monthly budget, it makes sense to keep an eye on competing AI services in 2025.
