Google Pixel 9 To Come Packed More Powerful Gemini Nano Version

Google I/O is finally upon us and there are a ton of new announcements about the company’s ongoing and future AI plans. During the keynote, Google revealed a key detail on its upcoming flagship smartphone, the Pixel 9 series, and its new AI capabilities. The company has confirmed that its next flagship smartphone series will be the first to come packed with an enhanced version of Gemini Nano with multimodal capabilities.

It means that the on-device AI model on the phones will not just be capable of processing text inputs but will also be able to discern context from real-world images, spoken language, and sounds. Google recently teased how it would work. In a video, the company demonstrated how an AI explains the scene in front of it and makes a conversation with the user.

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Google Gemini Nano Coming To New Pixel Phones

Gemini Nano comes with limited features on the Pixel 8 series, including the latest Pixel 8a. To be specific, it runs Summarize in the Recorder app and Smart Reply in Gboard. The new Gemini Nano version that will be rolled out for “Pixel later this year” will come with more useful features compared to the current one.

Google claims to have upgraded Gemini Nano to run a new feature in TalkBack that will allow users with blindness or low vision to describe what’s happening in an image. “Whether it’s more details about what’s in a photo that family or friends sent or the style and cut of clothes when shopping online,” the feature can generate on-device descriptions of unlabeled photos without requiring an internet connection. 

Also Read: Google Rolls Out First Software Update For Pixel 8a With AI Features

Will New Gemini Nano Come To Older Pixel Phones?

It’s not yet clear if Google plans to bring the new Gemini Nano’s multimodal features to existing Pixel phones. During a press conference, the company clearly stated that the new AI model will require new Neural Processing Units (NPUs) and quite a bit of RAM and that it will be available “starting with the new Pixels later this year,” followed by other devices that will launch later.

It sounds like the new Gemini Nano will need more powerful hardware and is unlikely to make it to the new Pixel 8 and older models until the company comes up with a workaround.

Google did mention that it’s been working on developing compact AI models so that they are able to achieve on-device functionality on a wider range of devices. The company will be sharing a complete list of supported devices for the more powerful Gemini Nano in the coming days.