Mobile phones are getting seriously smart, thanks to the power of Ai (artificial intelligence). If you’ve got a premium phone from one of the well-known brands, chances are it’s using Ai to make your life better.
You’ll also find Ai in lots of less-than-premium phones. It doesn’t take long for the best mobile tech to ‘trickle down’ into mid-range and budget handsets. So even if you’re counting the pennies, you’ll be able to upgrade to an Ai phone packed with clever features.
What is Ai on phones?
With Ai on your actual device, all the thinking is done on the phone itself. The Ai doesn’t have to rely on any cloud-based services or external servers – so you don’t need to be connected to the internet. This is good for your security and privacy, and it gives you faster response times too.
Having Ai on your smartphone can make your life easier (and more fun) in lots of ways. We’ve rounded up a few of our favourites below.
How smartphone Ai is being used
Smart assistance. Voice-controlled assistants like Siri and Google Assistant use Ai to access information almost instantly, automate routine tasks for you, and answer almost any question you ask.
Navigation. Ai-driven navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze give can offer you real-time traffic updates, alternative routes, and turn-by-turn directions. So you can reach your destination quicker, whether you’re driving, walking, or relying on public transport.
Voice-to-text transcriptions. Ai-based voice-to-text transcription apps let you transcribe meetings, interviews, lectures, and other audio recordings into text in real-time. So, no more trying to decipher hastily scribbled notes. Yay to that!
Smart calendar management. Ai-driven calendar apps can analyse your schedules, preferences, and past actions to suggest meeting times, remind you of upcoming events, and automatically add relevant information (such as location and attendees) to all your event entries. This can completely streamline your scheduling process, and make a huge difference to your time management.
Augmented reality. AR apps like Snapchat and Pokémon GO overlay imaginary objects and digital information onto the real world through the smartphone's camera. This gives you exciting and immersive new experiences, and new ways to interact with the world. Don’t get too immersed though, and always be aware of your real-life surroundings!
How generative Ai is changing smartphone use
Generative Ai is the latest type of smartphone technology. It’s capable of creating content like images, text, or even music, based on patterns it learns from existing data.
Unlike older Ai, smartphones with generative Ai can produce original content - rather than just recognizing or processing existing information. It basically makes your phone more creative, giving it the power to produce relevant content that it wasn't explicitly programmed to create.
How the Samsung Galaxy S25 is using generative Ai
Samsung is pushing the boundaries of generative Ai on its new Galaxy S25 family. The tech is called Galaxy Ai, and it can do some amazing things:
Cross App Action. This lets you take care of lots of tasks across different apps, just by talking to your phone. For example, if you see a drool-worthy pasta dish online, ask, "What is this and how do I make it?" and Galaxy AI will serve up the recipe with step-by-step instructions.
Want to know when the next game is and add it to your calendar? Done. Need to turn a video into notes? Easy. Want to share info from your messages? No problem. Just hold down the power button on your Galaxy S25 and tell it what you need. Cross App Action works with Google apps and even third-party ones like WhatsApp and Spotify, so you can ask away and get things done fast.
Now Brief. Get set to own your day with Now Brief! This Ai feature gives you essential updates on your day ahead, like weather, your schedule, and when the latest episode of your favourite podcast drops. The Now Bar provides quick updates on sports scores, the song that's playing, your location, and more, all without unlocking your device - so you can keep updated while focusing on other things.
Ai photography. Galaxy Ai takes the S25’s photography to the next level, enhancing every shot with incredible detail. Video capture is super smooth even in fast-moving scenes, thanks to improved stability. Nightography is now even better in low-light conditions, producing real clarity even when you’re zooming in. And you can also enjoy stacks of fun editing features, like effortlessly moving people within photos, turning an average basketball jump into a slam dunk. You can also easily remove photobombers with Photo Assist, all with a single tap.
Live translate. Making a call with someone who speaks a different language? Live Translate offers real-time translation of spoken and written words, making it easier than ever to communicate. It works on any phone, including landlines, and isn't limited to calls – it's handy for in-person conversations too, like asking for directions or talking to local shop owners.
Circle to Search. Curious about an object in your photo? Circle to Search with Google lets you search objects with a simple gesture. Circle, highlight, tap, or scribble over what you want to know more about, and the results appear onscreen. No more screenshots or app-hopping to get the info you need.
How the Google Pixel 9 is using generative Ai
Google's latest Pixel 9 phones are leveraging the power of generative Ai to make your life a whole lot easier. Here are some of the coolest things they can do:
Gemini. If you ever need help writing a message, planning an event, or learning something new — just hold down the Pixel 9's power button. That'll bring up Gemini, a super smart Ai sidekick always on hand to supercharge your ideas.
Magic Editor. The Pixel 9's Magic Editor Ai tool can do big photo edits for you in a matter of seconds. All it takes is a few taps to swap out backgrounds, move objects, reframe, and much more.
Add Me. It's never nice nominating someone to take a group photo with them getting left out. Google's Pixel 9 phones make this awkward ask a thing of the past! Just take one with everybody, then swap in the photographer. The phone will then merge both photos like magic.
Circle to Search. Like Samsung's latest Galaxy mobiles, the new Google Pixel 9 phones come with this superb feature too. Just circle something on-screen to learn more about it — whether it's an image, video, or line of text.
Privacy and security on smartphone Ai
It’s perfectly natural to have concerns about data privacy and security when it comes to Ai. But on-device Ai actually has quite a few advantages when it comes to keeping your personal info safe. Here are the main benefits:
Your data stays put. With on-device Ai, your personal data doesn't leave your phone. Everything from voice commands to photo recognition happens right on your device, keeping your information safe and sound.
It works offline. Unlike cloud-based systems, on-device Ai doesn't require a constant internet connection to function. All your interactions happen locally, without any data or personal information being sent anywhere else.
Layers of protection. Phone manufacturers like Apple, Samsung and Google invest heavily in security measures to protect your data. From military-grade encryption to biometric authentication, there are layers of protection designed to keep your personal info safe.
User control. All good mobile phones now let you control lots of privacy settings, including permissions for Ai features. You can enable or disable features as you see fit, giving you more control over your data.
FAQs
What is on-device intelligence?
Device intelligence refers to the Ai tech built into gadgets, allowing them to understand, adapt, and interact with users and their surroundings. It's like giving your devices a brain. From smartphones to smart thermostats, they can learn your habits, anticipate your needs, and even communicate with other devices to make life easier.
How do I get Ai on my phone?
There’s a good chance you probably already have Ai on your phone. Lots of phones from the most popular brands come with built-in Ai features, like smart assistants (Siri, Google Assistant) and tools that make your camera, battery, and apps work better. If you want more, you can download Ai-powered apps from your app store - just look for apps that mention Ai or machine learning in their features, and give them a try!
How do I use Ai on the Galaxy S25?
A lot of the clever AI stuff happens automatically on the Galaxy S25 phones, but not everything is turned on by default. To make sure you’re getting the most out of Galaxy Ai, we recommend switching on these settings as soon as you can:
Ai photo editing. One of our favourite AI features on the S25 is Generative Edit, which allows you to remove, resize and amend almost anything you see in a photo.
Go to Settings > Advanced features > Advanced intelligence > Photo Editor. Then toggle on Generative edit.Real-time phone call translation. You should definitely turn on Live Translate, which gives you real-time voice translation during phone calls.
Go to Settings > Advanced features > Advanced intelligence > Phone. Then toggle on Live translate.Voice recording summaries. The Voice recorder on your S25 uses AI to do lots more than recording sounds. It can also transcribe audio into text – and even summarize it into handy bite-sized pieces for you. Very handy if you’re sitting through a long work presentation or university lecture.
Go to Settings > Advanced features > Advanced intelligence > Voice Recorder. Then toggle on Summaries.
Any more questions?
Fancy upgrading to an Ai-powered phone? Check out our mobile buying guide and the best phones of 2024. If you want to talk to an expert, feel free to pop into one of our stores for a chat.
Tech now, pay later
If you get a new Ai phone you can buy now, pay later with a flexible credit account. With flexible credit we make spreading the cost of your tech easy to manage. 24.9% APR representative (variable). And you can choose the term that suits your monthly budget, from 12 to 36 months.