AI outshone Pixel at Pixel event

Google’s event on Tuesday was ostensibly about Pixel hardware. It was really about AI.

Google’s Rick Osterloh made this clear the moment he took the stage, with his first keynote focusing more on Google’s AI efforts than its devices:

A few months ago at Google I/O, we shared a wide range of breakthroughs that are designed to make AI more useful for everyone. We’re passionate about the idea that AI can make people’s lives easier and more productive. It can facilitate us learn. It can facilitate us express ourselves. And it can facilitate us be more artistic. The most essential place to do this well is on the devices we carry with us every day. That’s why we’re going to share Google’s progress in bringing cutting-edge AI to mobile devices in a way that benefits the entire Android ecosystem.

For the first 25 minutes of the show, Osterloh and his colleagues didn’t announce any information about the Pixel 9 series, Pixel Watch 3, or Pixel Buds Pro 2. Instead, they highlighted things like Google’s investment in its tech stack and Tensor chips, how all six of its products with over 2 billion monthly users (Search, Gmail, Android, Chrome, YouTube, and Google Play) exploit the company’s Gemini AI models in some way, and how Gemini and Google’s AI tools are integrated into other Android phones you can already buy. Even before showing off demos on its own phones, Google was showing off its AI tools on stage on phones from Samsung and Motorola.

Google also used this pre-hardware segment to showcase perhaps the most captivating segment of the event: a look at Gemini Live, a tool that lets you have more natural conversations with Gemini about a variety of topics, such as brainstorming sessions or interview exercises. (In my opinion, it felt like Google’s answer to OpenAI’s impressive GPT-4o demo, which took place well before I/O.) And Gemini Live isn’t even a Pixel-exclusive feature; The service will be available from Tuesday for Gemini Advanced subscription and Android users.

When Google finally got around to talking about its fresh hardware, AI was everywhere, too. The Gemini can respond to what’s on your phone’s screen. “Add Me” can add the person taking a group photo to the photo. The Pixel Watch now uses AI to facilitate detect your heart rate. Google even predicts you’ll talk to Gemini Live while wearing the fresh Pixel Buds Pro 2.

And when it seemed that Osterloh was finishing, he shared a few more AI previews of things to come later: Google plans to let you share your camera during a Gemini Live call, so Gemini can respond to what you’re watching. You’ll also be able to connect apps to Gemini Live. Gemini will also be able to create research reports by searching for things on the web, a feature that Osterloh says will come to Gemini Advanced users in the “coming months.”

If you’ve been following Google lately, it’s been focusing on artificial intelligence it’s not a big surpriseBut after Tuesday’s event, it’s clear that Google sees AI as its key competitive differentiator for its hardware, and the best way to compete with giants like Apple and Samsung. Based on what we saw, it certainly seems like Google’s phones could have more impressive AI tricks than what Apple is working on — and I’m sure Google was ecstatic to hear that Apple’s most advanced Apple Intelligence features aren’t coming until next year.

I’m still skeptical about Google’s AI gimmicks. Sure, some of the photos features seem nippy, but I don’t trust Gemini enough to have a full conversation with it. Will other people care? And will they be interested enough to buy Pixels or sign up for Gemini Advanced? I’m not so sure. But with fresh Google hardware launching later this month and next, we won’t have to wait long to see if the company’s AI interest wins over fresh buyers.