Google Pixel 9 phones, first AI-powered Android update announced

Google on Tuesday announced new artificial intelligence features that are coming to Android devices. The move to bring its Gemini AI assistant to supported devices shows again how Google aims to put its AI in front of consumers before Apple, which will launch its AI on iPhones, Macs and iPads later this year.

Google doesn’t make a lot of money from its hardware business but the latest Android features could help drive new revenue through the company’s Gemini AI subscription program.

“We’ve completely rebuilt the assistant experience with Gemini, so you can speak to it naturally the way you would with another person,” said Android Ecosystem President Sameer Samat in a Tuesday blog post. “It can understand your intent, follow your train of thought and complete complex tasks.”

“Starting today, you can bring up Gemini’s overlay on top of the app you’re using to ask questions about what’s on your screen,” Samat wrote. It will be available on hundreds of phone models from dozens of device makers, according to Google.

Google previously had some AI features in Android, but this is the first year it’s heavily emphasizing new capabilities powered by a large AI language model installed on devices.

One example the company provided involved a user uploading a photo of a concert list and asking Gemini to see if their calendar is free, after which Gemini checks Google Calendar. If the user has availability in their schedule, Gemini offers to create a reminder to check ticket prices later that night.

The assistant can also perform tasks using information from Google apps.

“For example, Gemini can help create a daily workout routine based on your personal trainer’s email, or use your resume in Google Drive to write a work bio,” the company stated in its blog post. 

The company also said a user might ask the Gemini assistant to draft an email and “create an image of a cake for someone who loves space,” which the assistant can create and attach to the email. Or, in YouTube, a user might ask Gemini a question about the content in a video.

You can ask about what’s on your phone screen in other apps, too, like Maps, Flights and Gmail. Google said it’s working to add support for third-party extensions, which suggests developers may be able to add the option to their apps later.

Gemini’s assistant has a range of voices. A user can have a human-like conversation through its Gemini “Live” feature, which the company first announced at its May developer conference. “Live” will initially be available for select devices and subscribers to Google’s Gemini Advanced program, which costs $19.99 per month.

In June, Apple announced its long-awaited artificial intelligence push, Apple Intelligence, that can do tasks like recognize notifications important to personal context, and do cross-application tasking as well as letting Siri tap into OpenAI’s ChatGPT when needed for…