We’ve successfully crossed the first half of 2025, and it’s undeniable to say that AI keeps being at the center of the tech world. When ChatGPT erupted as a massive hit, we definitely knew that the technology behind it was ready to change the way we interact with computers and smart devices. It all started with great answers for simple queries, and now, the AI assistants are smarter and powerful than ever. We can find great AI tools capable of generating solid art, programming, and even editing videos from scratch. It’s no surprise to see that AI is now one of the greatest focuses of smartphone makers, who quickly embraced the technology as their next big thing.
A few years ago, we could say that we were getting stuck in a continuous cycle of getting better processors, better cameras, better design, bezel-less displays and etc. Now, however, it seems that some smartphone makers are seeing AI as the new segment that they need to focus on. Unsurprisingly, we’re seeing more and more smartphones coming and promising revolutionary AI for better usage, better cameras, better everything. However, what is better? Is AI changing the way we interact with smartphones? Is AI making them better, or does this currently stand as just a mere gimmick surfing in the hype of the AI technologies that are really changing the world? We will discuss the matter in this article.
The Revolutionary AI in Smartphones
Nowadays, AI is everywhere, and more and more users are getting used to it. Yeah, we’ve crossed that path where AI was just a thing for tech enthusiasts. Now, even people who are not immersed in the tech world know how powerful the AIs are getting. It’s pretty common to see AI-edited videos becoming viral for good or bad. Smartphone makers are very aware of the hype around this, and we’re seeing brands promising powerful AI with every smartphone release. But.. What is making a difference in our lives? What is the good, what is the bad, and what is the ugly gimmick in all this discussion?
From intelligent cameras to the fancy “magic” photo editors, AI is the latest buzzword in the mobile smartphone industry. But what is useful, and what’s just plain hype?
The Good: Everyday Benefits
Don’t think that I’m the kind of guy who goes against innovation and is conservative around new technologies. I know how powerful AI is, and how it breaks barriers and turns some complex tasks much easier. But unfortunately, the hype around this technology will raise some opportunism and seems to be a great marketing tool for some companies.
There are great benefits in the use of AI in smartphones. It can enhance the experience on smartphones in ways that it feel almost invisible. Nowadays, the brightness sensors can get better adjustments thanks to AI, since it can learn your habits and tweak the levels based on your needs. Another useful scenario of AI usage is the kind of smart replies it can generate for your messaging app, allowing it to give contextual answers without much force. In some smartphones equipped with real and powerful AI assistants, it is working in the background to make usage better and smoother.
Magic Erasers, Better Cameras, and More Optimized Batteries
One of the greatest benefits of AI in smartphones comes in mobile photography. AI now helps to better detect scenes, optimize lighting, and even remove unwanted photobombers. Seriously, this is one of the greatest things added by AI! We can easily remove unwanted objects, people or etc, from our images. We can save some ruined images thanks to features like Magic Eraser.
The improvements in the image are also there. Google Pixel series, for example, uses machine learning to deliver astonishing image quality even in mid-range hardware. Similarly, Apple’s Neural Engine Powers features like Live Text and Advanced Image Processing. It quietly improves the camera without much user effort. You can now improve images without much knowledge of photo editing software.
AI also brings some steroids to the voice assistants. They’ve come a long way from bland robots to real and smart assistants. They’re now faster, more natural, and increasingly capable of handling complex commands, especially when processed on-device, as seen with Apple’s Siri upgrades and Google Gemini (formerly Google Assistant) offline voice recognition.
There are some fun features like the Image to Video feature presented by Honor in its latest Honor 400 series. And of course, Battery Optimization is another aspect of a smartphone being optimized by AI. The AI learns your usage patterns to extend battery life or allocate power more efficiently to apps and processes. Similarly, there are AI tweaks for fast-charging. The AI will learn your charging habits to decide when it’s a better time to push more energy. For example, there is no need for the max charging speed when you’re sleeping.
The Bad: Privacy Can Become a Mess
There are some useful features, and usually, they are there to improve usage and make some features more convenient to use. However, this is coming with a cost. Many AI features rely on data – lots of data. Your location, photos, voice recordings, and app behavior can be harvested to “train” the smart features. Even if companies promise that data stays safe on your service, the line between convenience and surveillance can blur fast, and honestly, the risks are always there.
A Huge Potential for Planned Obsolescence
Also, there is the issue of performance. AI requires processing power, which means phones are increasingly packed with dedicated neural processing units (NPUs). The need for power could explain why Apple has limited Apple Intelligence to iPhones running Apple A18 Bionic and above. The older processors probably couldn’t handle the AI in an efficient form. The use of dedicated NPUs is good for speed, but all the horsepower needed will raise the need for good hardware. There are concerns about heat, battery drain, and planned obsolescence – YES, Planned Obsolescence can be easily imposed on users if AI plays a key role in smartphone usage. They’re getting more powerful at an impressive speed, and some smartphone makers can use this to push new smartphones every year.
When it comes to hardware needs, not all is lost. It’s natural for chipmakers to improve their lineups every year, and they’re focusing on AI with every release. Also, the arrival of silicon-carbon batteries is a game-changer in the smartphone scene. We’re seeing bigger and bigger batteries without an exaggeratedly big footprint. However, there is a cost for the fanciest technology. It may be a while until we see the more interesting techs on mid-range phones.
Lastly, not all AI works as advertised. Sometimes, you may see wonky performance for certain voice assistants, or AI-based facial recognition will get weird in low light. If AI is badly implemented, users can get frustrated and become vulnerable to spoofing.
The Gimmick: The Buzzword of AI
For every interesting and genuine AI feature, there is a flashy gimmick designed more for marketing slides than user needs. We can cite some stuff like AI-powered wallpapers that change with your mood (whatever that means) to overhyped photo filters that don’t seem to differ from the filters we’ve been used to in the past. It’s not uncommon to see brands slapping the “AI” label on anything remotely automated. In some cases, the old automation is now being rebadged as AI even when there is no use of such technologies.
One recent trend is AI summaries and generative wallpapers in smartphones. While these features sound impressive, many users don’t really need or will use them. In some cases, they are less useful than traditional options. Some are half-baked ideas that are rushed to market just to surf the growing AI hype.
Worse, these gimmicks can distract users from meaningful innovation. Instead of refining the core features, the brand may chase headlines with AI fluff even when it adds little to no value.
Conclusion: The AI Trend in Smartphones Is Promising, But We Need to Stay Smart About It
Undoubtedly, AI can improve the way we interact we our smartphones. When used thoughtfully, it can elevate user experience, automate features, and unlock our creativity. It can boost the capabilities of old and tired smart assistants and make them really useful. However, it’s also a double-edged sword. Users need to stay informed and check what is really useful and what isn’t. If we criticize what isn’t really interesting, companies will start to drop these ideas to focus on what is really useful. Remember the days of Air Gestures in smartphones? Users saw it was a gimmick, and companies collected the feedback, dropping these features for good. The same should happen with useless AI implementations.
Users need to stay informed on what is useful and what is just marketing. Companies need to be split between those who are over-promising but under-delivering. Also, we need to be careful with simple AI banners that can quietly harvest data.
As smartphones continue to evolve, and the AI trend is here to stay, we will see more AI and not less. The real question that remains isn’t whether AI belongs in your pocket, but whether it’s helping you… Or just pretending to.
