OPINION: Smartphones are constantly getting faster and more capable; This is pretty clear cut at this stage.

But in 2024, smartphones will be focused on more than just powering games and running apps; Some will be able to run Chat GPT-style Generative AI applications without needing an internet connection. This will literally change the rules of the game in the smartphone experience.

But wait, let’s take a step back here. Generative AI, or GenAI as it is known, is actually an advanced version of the AI ​​virtual assistants we have been using on our phones for years. But there is a significant difference in the way they work.

Generative AI is a type of AI that can create new content such as images, text, and even music that is not explicitly programmed. Unlike traditional AI systems that rely on predefined rules, generative AI allows it to create new and original content by learning patterns and structures from large data sets.

The downside is that GenAI apps like the popular ChatGPT all require an active internet connection, as all operations are done remotely on incredibly powerful servers and the results are then sent back to your device.

Not only does this mean that using GenAI can be a relatively slow process depending on things like your internet connection and the material you need to upload for processing, but it’s also a privacy nightmare. On-device GenAI, on the other hand, has none of these issues, making integration into the smartphone experience much easier.

So what makes 2024 so special? It all depends on the chipsets powering the 2024 smartphones.

This started when Qualcomm introduced its next flagship processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, at an event in October 2023. Qualcomm fascinated the world with its claims that the chipset will be renewed, as well as significant annual gains in the CPU and GPU departments. It is capable of running large language models (LLMs) entirely on-device without the need for a cloud connection.

Qualcomm isn’t the only manufacturer joining the fun either; MediaTek’s competing Dimensity 9300 also handles on-device GenAI duties alongside the 8300, further expanding the potential pool of 2024 smartphones with GenAI features.

The question is: How will this change the smartphone experience? It all depends on how manufacturers and developers take advantage of the new hardware.

Qualcomm introduced various uses of GenAI at the Snapdragon Summit, allowing smartphones to perform impressive tasks like analyzing air quality using the ToF camera sensor, intelligently cropping and tracking objects in the camera app, stretching images, and of course creating chunks of text all in one go . About any topic you can think of.

The problem is that Qualcomm can only offer tools to manufacturers; cannot force them to integrate these features into future smartphones. Therefore, it is entirely the responsibility of the manufacturers to make good use of it.

This ties in nicely with recent rumors about the upcoming Pixel 9 and more specifically its virtual assistant. While practically all Android devices use Google Assistant to perform tasks hands-free, the Pixel 9 series is said to have an upgraded virtual assistant called Pixie.

Pixie is said to be based on Google’s recently unveiled Gemini AI. According to the company, it offers “up-to-date state-of-the-art results on 30 of 32 commonly used academic benchmarks used in large language model (LLM) research and development.”

Depending on how Google integrates Pixie into the user experience, the virtual assistant can become more personal and access your hardware in a privacy-conscious way to deliver a comprehensive virtual assistant experience.

Inspired by what ChatGPT offers, Pixie may have the ability to provide information about upcoming flights, offer personalized dining recommendations, and engage in casual, conversational interactions.

Combine this with the duplication of GenAI photo and video editing apps on the market, and GenAI may be about to step into the spotlight, and there’s no turning back from that.