When introducing the new Pixel 9 models today, Google didn’t miss an opportunity to denigrate Apple Intelligence. All of the new Pixel 9 devices are integrated with Google’s AI technology, Gemini, and there are a host of new AI features that Google introduced.
Like Apple Intelligence, Gemini works using on-device processing power, but Google made sure to point out that Gemini is capable enough to answer complex queries without handing a task off to another AI service. The comment was a dig at Apple’s plan to add ChatGPT integration to Siri, as ChatGPT will be able to do things that Siri can’t. From Google:
Gemini is deeply integrated with Google apps and Android and can handle complex queries without hand-off to third-party AI providers you may not know or trust.
Apple will use ChatGPT for things like generating text from scratch, something that Apple Intelligence doesn’t do. Apple did add Writing Tools, but it is limited to rewriting content that you’ve already written to change the tone or style. ChatGPT will also be able to generate images that Image Playground cannot, such as photorealistic content, and it will handle requests like generating meal recipes.
When a user asks Siri something that Siri cannot handle, the personal assistant will ask for permission to hand it over to ChatGPT. ChatGPT integration is entirely optional, and OpenAI is partnering with Apple to bring it to iPhone users for free.
Rumors suggest that Apple also plans to add Gemini integration to the iPhone, allowing iPhone users to choose their preferred AI service. It’s not quite clear if Apple Intelligence is incapable of handling full text generation and photorealistic image creation, or if these are capabilities that Apple feels are a little too questionable to touch given the sentiment about AI-created content.
Google’s new Pixel devices have several interesting AI features, including Pixel Studio, a new image generator that uses an on-device diffusion model. It will generate stickers and images using text prompts, similar to Image Playground.
AI will be able to edit photos to add objects that weren’t originally in the image, plus Google plans to use it for custom weather reports. The camera app has an option to merge two photos together so that the person taking a group photo can be in the picture, and it can catalog and remember information from screenshots. There’s also a feature called Call Notes, which mimics Apple’s call recording feature by recording and summarizing phone calls.
Google has also added Gemini Live to the Pixel 9 devices and accompanying earbuds, with Gemini Live allowing users to have full free-flowing conversations with Gemini.