How will smartphones use generative AI?

In the rapidly growing world of artificial intelligence, the use of generative AI on smartphones is also becoming a reality. From large businesses to small businesses, generative AI is foreshadowing change. Generative AI is an artificial intelligence model trained with a large amount of data that creates content when you prompt it. This is different from other forms of AI that have played a vital role in mobile phones for years, whether it be by subtly blurring the background of a portrait photo or recognizing your voice when you give commands to virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa.

Now, tech leaders, startups, and analysts believe the use of generative AI could impact mobile devices on a more fundamental level than just doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Samsung and Google are showing what that could look like with their Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8, respectively. Both products feature software that can generate new content within an image after you press the shutter button.

Samsung's Galaxy S24 and Google's Pixel 8 are two of the most powerful examples of how generative AI is starting to show up in phones today. AI was at the forefront of the South Korean tech giant's Unpacked event in January, arguably its biggest product launch event of the year.

The star of the Galaxy S24 show was Galaxy AI, an AI-driven technology that includes everything the phone can do, including facial recognition, image recognition, translation, handwriting recognition, text messaging, voice search, and more. Galaxy AI was initially only available on the Galaxy S24, but is now slowly but surely being rolled out to the rest of the Galaxy S23 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z flip 5, and the Galaxy Tab S9, with updates coming soon. And this is just the beginning.

The Role of Generative AI in Modern Flagship Smartphones To show how far modern flagship smartphones have evolved towards this model driven by generative AI, let’s take a quick look at the latest flagship smartphones from major manufacturers such as Samsung, ASUS, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and Honor. All of these smartphone manufacturers have adopted a similar approach in that they focus on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform as the processor, acting as the central nervous system of the phone, maximizing its effectiveness by running generative AI operations on the device itself.

For example, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which integrates a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) built specifically for generative AI, employs heterogeneous computing for AI workloads.

Integrating generative AI directly into device software has enhanced AI smartphone capabilities across a variety of categories, including enhanced communication, generative image editing tools, personalization, accessibility, etc. The interface concept of on-device generative AI is steadily growing, opening up new usability horizons that simplify complex processes and make complex interfaces more mobile device-friendly.

The focus on using generative AI for various features in the latest flagship smartphone models is evident from Korean giants Samsung, ASUS, Xiaomi, Oppo/Vivo and Honor. These smartphone makers have a similar mindset, using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform as the smartphone's central processor to enable smooth local execution of generative AI applications.

While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has a dedicated central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU), it uses heterogeneous multiprocessing for AI operations, and the chip has an integrated neural processing unit (NPU) designed to support generative AI. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 can use a variety of processors and co-processors other than the NPU, including the central processing unit (CPU), visual processing unit (GPU), and always-on sensor processors, to drive peak performance while minimizing power consumption.

In 2024, generative AI will be bundled with device makers’ keyboard software, giving smartphone users a clear and significant upgrade to one of the most fundamental aspects of interacting with their devices. Samsung, for example, is employing AI models as a means to help select tone and provide better rewriting formats. The Samsung Galaxy AI feature, for example, can change the type and mood of complex sentences, as well as provide spelling and grammar corrections.

Samsung Galaxy S24 and ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra utilize on-device AI to completely remove language barriers, bringing real-time live translation right to your smartphone. The former, called Live Translation on the S24, and the latter, called AI Call Translation on the Zenfone 11 Ultra, allows users to translate phone calls into their preferred language in real time, making cross-cultural conversations easier.

Additionally, Zenfone's AI Transcription feature converts voice calls into document reports that users can easily review, look for specific segments with advanced search, and share the most important parts of a particular conversation. In addition to this, S24's Live Translation writes the translated calls directly on the screen in real-time for easy reference.

On the other hand, these tools that leverage the power of on-device machine intelligence ease the burden of note-taking, improve memory, and help you find key points discussed earlier in a short space of time, making them essential for professional use as well as multitasking in a fast-paced world where time seems to be getting less and less.

The increasing demand for synthetic generation of image content and its editing has led to the development of this generative AI.

In addition, the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra models support the AI ​​Portrait Light effect function, as well as the ability to let the smartphone recognize faces through gallery photos. It then uses text input to provide users with realistic AI selfies based on different settings in seconds. It takes 30-40 seconds to generate four entries using the photo input text, but it is also possible to generate higher resolution photos.

Oppo Find X7 Ultra comes with an on-device artificial intelligence feature called AIGC Eraser that can remove objects, people, and other objects from photos without an internet connection. Notably, with the offline pack downloaded, AIGC Eraser works independently of an internet connection, providing a valuable privacy-focused image editing experience.

Use the prompts to choose the style, format and mood to create an image that embodies the personality of the person using the device.

One of the creative aspects of AI that users will probably notice through Honor Magic UI is the Magic Portal feature. This feature allows users to open one app and drag and drop text or images onto text or images in another app. OSX AI will then suggest and send the appropriate app. This feature predicts the user's operating ability and provides applications that make content sharing smooth. Magic Portal is initially compatible with all those top 100 global apps, and the remaining apps will be referenced in future updates.

1. How is GEN AI different from traditional AI?

Generative AI takes input from the user and applies a set of transformation rules based on a training set provided to create new pieces of work, such as images or text. This is in contrast to previous artificial intelligence in smartphones, where the device only tries to recognise what is in front of it, such as a face in a photo.

2. In what areas of smartphones is in-camera generation AI currently used?

Below are various potential uses of generative AI across a wide range of industries: Object Removal – remove objects or people in the background, AI Portrait Creation – create a portrait of you or any person you want, Wallpaper Creation – generate wallpapers in minutes, Document Creation – provide speech translation during phone conversations, note down what is said during discussions, provide recommendations on how to rephrase text messages in a particular tone.

3. The connection between AI and smartphones provides the definition of generative AI value.

Generative AI can make your phone easier and more efficient to use in these ways: Generative AI can make your phone easier and more efficient to use in these ways:

It incorporates automation of previously time-consuming tasks, breaks down language barriers with translation apps, and enhances creativity by adding features such as AI options for image creation.

4. Will generative AI take secret photos of you and your friends through your smartphone?

Many of these generative AI features operate with ancillary user data that may be insecure, and for privacy reasons, smartphone users are encouraged to run generative AI data processing on-device.

5. What remains for the future development of generative AI in the realm of smartphone operating systems?

We are still in the early stages when it comes to generative AI, which will change the way we use our smartphones, and we expect to see more innovation and personalization leading to the introduction of many new features in the future.