Pixel 8 Pro houses its own generative AI model – here’s what it means
At the end of its recent Made By Google event, the tech giant revealed that the Pixel 8 Pro will host its own generative AI to perform certain functions on the smartphone.
Keep in mind that the device’s built-in AI won’t be at the same level as the company’s most advanced models. Instead, research teams came together to create a more distilled version that fits inside the Pixel 8 Pro and still packs plenty of power. According to Rick OsterlohSenior Vice President of Devices and Services at Google, the flagship phone can run “generative AI with up to 150 times more calculations than the largest (model)” on the Pixel 7. He goes on to say that this technology will enable “better experiences.” .
For example, the Magic Eraser tool on the Pixel 8 Pro can generate new pixels to “fill in the spaces left behind” by deleted objects or people. No smudging, no mixing. Everything looks relatively clean. At one of the demonstrations they had Magic Eraser remove a car from a photo. It looks pretty good for the most part. However, the now empty space looks a bit spotty. It’s not perfect technology.
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New AI-powered features
The upgraded Magic Eraser will be available at launch, with more AI-powered features coming later. There will be three more in total.
First, the Recorder app receives a summary tool that lets you break down a recording into a concise, informative list that highlights the most important points. Then the Gboard app gets Smart Replies with “high-quality reply suggestions” while texting. Thanks to the AI, he can better understand the context of a conversation.
By far the most impressive of the trio is Zoom Enhance. Harnessing the power of a proprietary imaging model, the feature will sharpen zoomed photos and clear up any pixelation. Google demonstrated this by getting up close to one of the towers on the Golden Gate Bridge and improving it. It’s impressive, but like Magic Eraser, it’s not perfect.
In the low-quality image, you can see some of the Golden Gate Bridge cables behind some clouds. However, in the cleaned up version, the points of the cables disappear. It’s a small flaw, but it’s noticeable if you look closely.
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Google plans to roll out the upcoming trio in December. There’s no word on who will reach Pixel 8 Pro owners first, though we’ve reached out to Google for more information. This story will be updated at a later date. The company isn’t stopping there, as Osterloh teased that more AI-powered software will be added to the smartphone in the coming years. And it looks like there’s a lot in store as the device will get seven years of OS upgrades.
The Pixel 8 Pro is currently available for pre-order on Google’s website for $999. It will be launched on October 12.
Generative AI as a whole has come a long way since late 2022, when its main public application was text generation. Now we see that it improves the quality of zoomed photos, as if from a science fiction movie.
If you’re curious about other interesting applications of artificial intelligence, check out TechRadar’s huge list best AI tools for 2023.