What is AI in mobile phones?

Ever since AI burst into public awareness after the launch of Chat GPT in late 2022, we’re hearing more about artificial intelligence technology. Let’s have a look at AI and how it’s making modern phones more useful.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, in mobile phones is like having a super-smart, invisible friend living inside your device. It's a set of advanced software technologies that enable your phone to learn, adapt, and make decisions, all with the goal of enhancing your smartphone experience.

At its core, AI in mobile phones is about making your device more intuitive and responsive to your needs. It's the technology that helps your phone recognise your face to unlock it, understand your voice commands, predict what you're going to type next, and enhance your photos before you've even pressed the shutter button.

Well, AI systems in phones typically use machine learning algorithms. These are like recipe books that the phone uses to learn from data – your data, to be precise. Every time you use your phone, you're helping it understand your habits, preferences, and patterns. The AI then uses this information to make predictions and decisions that hopefully make your life easier.

For example, when you're typing a message, have you noticed how your phone suggests the next word? This autocomplete feature is AI in action - it's learned from your previous messages to predict what you're likely to say next.

AI in phones also often uses neural networks, which are computing systems inspired by the human brain. These networks are skilled at identifying patterns and can be trained to recognise objects in images or understand spoken instructions.

The beauty of AI in mobile phones is that it's constantly working in the background, quietly making your phone smarter and more tailored to you. It's like having a personal assistant who's always learning how to serve you better.

AI has rapidly become such an integral part of mobile technology that all the latest flagship handsets incorporate some form of AI.

But it's not just the premium phones that are getting the AI treatment. Many mid-range and even budget smartphones now come with AI features.

The prevalence of AI in smartphones is largely due to the development of specialised hardware. Many phone manufacturers now include dedicated AI chips or neural processing units (NPUs) in their devices. These chips are designed specifically to handle AI tasks efficiently, allowing even less powerful phones to leverage AI technology.

It's worth noting that the extent and sophistication of AI features can vary greatly between different phones. High-end devices typically have more advanced AI capabilities due to their more powerful hardware. However, even simpler AI features can significantly enhance the user experience on more affordable devices.

As AI technology continues to evolve and become more efficient, we can expect to see even more widespread adoption across all segments of the smartphone market. So, whether you're eyeing the latest flagship or considering a more budget-friendly option, chances are you'll be getting a phone with some level of AI smarts.

As it's a relatively new technology for most of us, the benefits aren't always obvious. Here are some compelling reasons why you might want (and probably already appreciate) AI on your phone:

1.  Smarter photography: AI can dramatically improve your photos. It can automatically adjust camera settings based on what you're shooting, enhance low-light photos, create professional-looking portrait shots with blurred backgrounds. It can even suggest the best moment to take a picture.
2.  Personalised experience: AI learns your habits and preferences over time, allowing your phone to adapt to you. This could mean showing you relevant apps at the right time of day, suggesting routes based on your usual commute, or cueing up your favourite playlist when you connect to your car's Bluetooth.
3.  Improved battery life: AI can analyse your usage patterns and optimise your phone's performance to extend battery life. It might reduce background processes when you're not using your phone or adjust screen brightness based on ambient light and your viewing habits.
4.  More accurate typing: Predictive text and autocorrect features powered by AI can learn your writing style, making typing on your phone faster and more accurate over time.
5.  Enhanced security: Face recognition and fingerprint scanning often use AI to become more accurate and secure over time. AI can also help detect potential security threats or unusual behaviour on your device.
6.  Voice assistance: AI-powered virtual assistants can understand natural language, allowing you to set reminders, send messages, or control smart home devices just by speaking.     
7.  Better app recommendations: AI can analyse which apps you use most frequently and when, allowing your phone to suggest relevant apps or actions at the right time.       
8.  Health and fitness tracking: Many health and fitness apps use AI to provide more accurate tracking and personalised recommendations based on your activities and goals.      
9.  Language translation: AI-powered translation tools can help you communicate in foreign languages, sometimes even in real-time using your phone's camera or microphone.
10.  Accessibility features: AI can power features that make phones more accessible, such as real-time captioning for videos or calls, or describing images for visually impaired users.
11.  Noise cancellation: In calls or video chats, AI can help filter out background noise, ensuring you come through loud and clear.
    
12.  Smart content creation: From automatic video editing, instant image tweaking to AI-powered music creation, your phone can help you produce content with a professional touch.

The beauty of AI on your phone is that it's constantly working to make your device more helpful and personalised. It's like having a device that gets to know you better every day, anticipating your needs and making your digital life smoother and more efficient.

Of course, while AI can be incredibly helpful, it's also important to be aware of privacy implications. Many AI features require access to your personal data to function effectively. Most reputable phone manufacturers have strict privacy policies in place, but it's always a good idea to review app permissions and privacy settings to ensure you're comfortable with how your data is being used.

Here's some good news – in most cases, you don't need to do anything special to enable AI on your phone. It's typically built into the core of your device's operating system and various apps, working silently in the background to enhance your experience from the moment you start using your phone.

However, while AI is generally always on, there are often ways to customise or fine-tune AI features to better suit your preferences. Here are a few tips:

1.  Virtual assistants: Features like Siri (for iPhones), Google Assistant (for Android), or Bixby (for Samsung) are prime examples of AI on your phone. To get the most out of these, make sure they're set up and activated. You can usually do this in your phone's settings.
2.  Camera AI: Many phones have AI features in their camera apps. These are typically on by default, but you might find toggles for things like "AI scene recognition" or "AI beautification" in your camera settings.
3.  Keyboard predictions: Your phone's keyboard likely uses AI to predict your next words. This is usually on by default, but you can often customise it in your keyboard settings.
4.  System optimisations: Many phones use AI to optimise performance and battery life. These features are typically always running, but you might find some controls in your battery or device care settings.
5.  Face or voice recognition: If your phone has face unlock or voice recognition features, you'll need to set these up manually, usually during the initial phone setup or later in your security settings.
6.  App-specific AI: Many apps, particularly those for photo editing or fitness tracking, have their own AI features. You might need to enable these within the individual apps.

Remember, AI on your phone is designed to be helpful and unobtrusive. It's not something you generally need to worry about "turning on." Instead, it's more about exploring the features your phone offers and deciding which ones you want to use.

If you're curious about what AI features your specific phone model has, it's worth checking the manufacturer's website, your phone's user manual or popping into an Optus store for a chat.

AI in mobile phones changes the game, making your device smarter and improving your overall smartphone experience. From improving photography to personalising your device, AI technology is here to make your digital life smoother and more efficient.