As a tech enthusiast who’s covered numerous phone launches in the US, I’ve witnessed firsthand the overhyped promises made about the advent of AI smartphones. The rhetoric is always the same: AI is here to revolutionize your mobile experience, making it easier to interact with your device without the need for tedious app management. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, my experiences with these "AI" phones have been underwhelming, to say the least.

The Theory Behind AI Smartphones

According to the manufacturers, smartphones are evolving into a new breed of devices that will seamlessly integrate AI-powered assistants, allowing users to interact with their phones using natural language. You’ll be able to:

  • Ask your phone to order pizza or send an email without needing to launch an app
  • Point your camera at a flyer for a show and have the AI check if you’re free and add it to your calendar
  • Retrieve information about conversations with friends, even if you can’t recall the context

These features sound amazing in theory, but the reality is far from it.

Google’s Gemini Assistant: A Disappointing Experience

Google’s Gemini assistant has shown some improvement since its launch but still falls short of being a truly effective AI-powered assistant. I’ve personally tried to use it for various tasks, and while it can perform basic functions like translating phone calls or generating funny images, it often fails to deliver more complex tasks.

Other Manufacturers’ Efforts: A Mixed Bag

Samsung’s Galaxy S24 launch was met with the usual fanfare, proclaiming "Galaxy AI is here!" The devices announced feature a blend of Samsung and Google’s Gemini Nano models on-device, but they don’t quite live up to their AI promise. While features like distraction-free photos or live language interpretation are nice, they’re often more distracting than useful.

Later in the year, Google released its AI-ified Pixel series, which boasts an impressive array of AI-powered features, including an AI-generated summary at the top of the weather app and a new screenshots app that uses AI to save and tag your captures. However, these features feel disconnected from each other, and Gemini struggles to bridge the gap between individual apps without requiring extensions.

Apple Intelligence: The Latest Entrant

Apple’s iPhone 16, released in September, initially shipped without Apple Intelligence. Finally, in October, iOS 18.1 brought AI-powered features to the table, including summaries for notifications and emails, tools to alter writing style, and a revamped glowing UI for Siri. While notification summaries can be useful, they’re often humorous rather than practical.

A Messy Year for AI

The hype surrounding AI has created a messy landscape. Depending on who you ask, AI is either a nascent technology poised to revolutionize our lives or a fleeting fad that’s about to burst. It’s being integrated into every aspect of our digital lives: Google search results, Meta products, even Spotify.

But what does this mean for our phones? Will Siri truly become more useful with the upcoming Apple Intelligence update that will allow it to take action in apps through App Intents? Can Google’s similar framework in Android 16 help bridge the gap between Gemini and individual apps?

The Trouble with Crying Wolf

After a year of empty promises, it’s starting to sound like phone manufacturers are crying wolf. The real AI smartphones need to stand up soon – before our collective patience runs out.

Only time will tell if these manufacturers can deliver on their promises and create truly revolutionary AI-powered devices. Until then, the hype surrounding AI will continue to be matched by disappointment.

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