As the year comes to a close, most significant smartphone launches for 2024 have already been released to the public. Take Google and Samsung for instance, the devices manufactured by many of these companies now include a common thread which is the use of AI tools. This development, however, has divided users into two camps, with some being very excited about the potential AI features, while others remain very doubtful of their intended use. With the affordable smartphones of the coming year poised to have truckloads of artificial intelligence functionalities, it is high time to look back and ask how many people use these features as often.
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Google remains in the lead in developing its flagship smartphones, integrating advanced AI technologies into its products. These include the Gemini voice assistant, Gemini live conversational mode, and Pixel Studio Screenshot, among other features. While some users find these features indispensable, others express mixed reactions, reinforcing concerns about the legitimacy of embedding so many AIs.
On the other hand, Samsung has incorporated AI technologies like Sketch to Image and translation tools. However, many consumers view Samsung’s artificial intelligence features as ham marketing. Features such as Sketch to Image, which generated funny sketches during the demo, provide more entertainment than practicality. Still, Samsung has at least met the expectations about AI, unlike Motorola and Apple, which have none of their promised tools available yet.
Although some users play with the AI capability included in their devices, a more significant number turn to applications downloaded from the Play Store. For instance, users have downloaded ChatGPT over 100 million times, while tools like Perplexity and Claude by Anthropic also attract millions of users. These applications do not have restrictions based on the type of smartphone used, which is an advantage for those willing to taste AI for their phones without waiting for the manufacturers to release updates.
Are Users Truly Ending Their Love-hate Relationship with AI?
The smartphone users likely possess all the technological capabilities attributed to the AI, yet most may not use AIs frequently. Even users of the highest-tier phones with significant AI implementation, such as the Google Pixel 9 Pro, rarely utilize these devices to their “full potential”—the potential highlighted in commercials. Instead, consumers primarily consider the quality of the hardware, often dismissing the gimmicky AI “parlor tricks.”
The growing number of first-party tools, such as Google’s Pixel-exclusive apps and third-party tools like ChatGPT, focus on AI for smartphone use. Are you ready to use AI tools on your smartphone, or will they gather dust while you engage in other activities? This isn’t the first time you’ve faced this choice; the decision is yours.
