Google is gearing up to release the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, and leaks are already revealing exciting new features. One of the latest reveals focuses on a set of new machine learning (ML) features branded as “Google AI”. While some of these features, like Circle to Search and Gemini, are already present on Pixel devices and other Android phones, the Pixel 9 will introduce three new additions: Add Me, Studio, and Pixel Screenshots.
Add Me aims to ensure everyone is included in group photos. While specifics are limited, Android Authority suggests it may be an upgrade to the Pixel 8’s Best Take feature, allowing users to manipulate expressions and combine photos with different individuals. This could potentially enable the addition of someone who wasn’t originally in the photo, raising comparisons to the infamous ‘Stalin effect’.
Studio appears to be a rebranded version of the Creative Assistant app, integrating into the Pixel screenshot editor. This integration will empower users to create stickers and potentially custom emojis, enhancing creative possibilities within the screenshot editor.
Pixel Screenshots, the most controversial feature, bears resemblance to Microsoft’s Recall feature, but with a focus on privacy and user control. Unlike Recall, Pixel Screenshots won’t automatically capture all device activity. Instead, it focuses on processing user-taken screenshots, adding metadata like app names, web links, and more. Local AI, powered by Gemini Nano, will process these screenshots, enabling content-based search and AI-powered inquiries about the captured information.
This approach to screenshot management is far more controlled than Microsoft’s Recall, which automatically captures all user activity, including sensitive data like passwords and banking information. This has led to concerns about privacy and security, forcing Microsoft to backpedal on its initial implementation. Google’s version prioritizes user control, only processing screenshots that the user has taken, offering a potentially more palatable option for privacy-conscious users.
It’s worth noting that other manufacturers like Motorola may be working on their own versions of AI-powered screenshot management. This suggests that this type of functionality is likely to become more widespread in the future, regardless of whether users choose to purchase the Pixel 9.
