We learned last week that Google has pushed its Made by Google event forward to August 13, a few months before its usual date. Why? Speculation ranges from Google timing the event to coincide with the next Android release to getting a jump on holiday sales to simply announcing the next generation of devices before Apple does.
However, we now have an answer regarding what Google is so excited to reveal. According to AndroidAuthority, the company is rolling out Google AI on the Pixel 9 series.
Also: Pixel 9? Pixel Watch 3? The date for the next Made by Google event is sooner than ever
A leaked screenshot shows that some existing features like Circle to Search and Gemini will be a part of Google AI. Several new AI features are on the way, though.
First up is something called “Add Me,” which Google says ensures everyone makes it into a group photo. This could be similar to existing Google Photos features like Best Take and AI editing that combine multiple images into one shot. Perhaps you’ll be able to take a picture, switch photographers, and then merge the photos to include everyone.
New too is something called “Screenshots,” which Google says allows you to “find the info you need from your screenshots.” When you turn on this feature (it’s opt-in), AI will summarize screenshots and allow you to ask questions to find them later. When new screenshots are saved, the AI adds metadata like links, app names, and the date and time it was taken.
The notion of having your screenshots analyzed and saved might raise an eyebrow if you’re concerned about privacy, but the AI processes everything locally, Android Authority says, so there shouldn’t be any worries about your data ending up somewhere else.
Also new is “Studio,” which Google described as “You imagine it. Pixel creates it.” This sounds similar to Apple Image Playground, a generative AI image generator that’s part of Apple Intelligence.
Also: The best Google Pixel phones: Expert tested and reviewed
For now, these features will only be on the Pixel 9 series, Android Authority says. There’s no word if they will eventually come to other devices as the rest of Google’s AI-powered add-ons have.
When Google released the Pixel 8 series, both the base version and the more expensive 8 Pro received some — but not all — of Google’s new AI features. If Google follows the same playbook, some of these new features may only be available on the most expensive Pixel 9 version.
We should get official word on Google AI in about a month.
