Galaxy AI: Samsung's new mobile AI platform explained
One big news at the January 2024 Galaxy Unpacked event was the arrival of Samsung's Galaxy AI. This exciting new technology puts artificial intelligence capabilities in the palm of your hand. While it was launched and limited on the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, the South Korean giant made it available on the older Galaxy smartphones.
Samsung is no stranger to AI, having added AI-assisted voice control and interaction to its Bixby service. However, Galaxy AI goes further, using more advanced capabilities that are only possible with generative AI to create and process text and images. Still, questions remain. What is Galaxy AI, what can it do, and how can it be used?
First, a short Galaxy AI introduction
Galaxy AI can respond to text prompts in real time with helpful answers like Google Gemini, OpenAI's GPT-4, Meta AI, and other generative AI models. These language skills make computers and phones easier to use and unlock abilities that were once out of reach. Galaxy AI can write messages for you, launch quick image searches, translate foreign languages, and more.
One recent addition to AI models is multimodal input, which means information to and from the model can be shared in several ways. For example, you could ask a multimodal AI to create a table from an image you upload. Galaxy AI can "see" photos, understand type-written commands, and use speech prompts to generate a response.
Source: Samsung
Samsung partnered with Google to add advanced capabilities to Galaxy AI using Google's Gemini Pro and Imagen 2, the latest and best AI models available.
Galaxy AI is a collection of different-sized models, with the smallest being able to run on your phone. However, some tasks require larger models for the best results, and those run in Google Cloud on a service called Vertex AI and require an internet connection on your Android phone.
The result is the same. Relatively quick AI assistance that helps you create more content and get more done with less effort.
What can Galaxy AI do?
Galaxy AI has many capabilities, and Samsung makes it available in several apps to enhance your experience.
Samsung Keyboard brings chat assist and translation features to every app. Your Samsung Galaxy phone can also handle live translation of phone calls and messages. To use the live translation feature, the interpreter splits the screen with one side flipped, so your phone can translate for a person who speaks a different language.
You can use photo editing features to fix problems like shadows and reflections. You can also change the position of objects in a photo or remove them as if they were never there.
Source: Samsung
Note assist can summarize your Samsung notes with a tap, and Magic Compose helps you write messages with generative AI assistance. Photomoji makes messages fun and personalized with custom emojis created from your photos.
How to use Galaxy AI on your Samsung Galaxy phone
For the most part, Galaxy AI works with little to no effort. Photos automatically benefit from generative AI enhancement of 2x and 10x zoom levels and improved low-light pictures.
Source: Samsung
Other features are just a tap away, like Edit Suggestion, which offers quick fixes for common photo issues. Galaxy AI's Instant Slow-Mo, one of the few features limited to the Samsung Galaxy S24 and S23 lineup, lets you press and hold any video you record to generate more frames. With Generative Edit, tap or draw around a subject in a photo to delete it from the picture or move it to a new location.
After long pressing the home button, tap, circle, or scribble over anything on your screen to search Google for that image. If you see a Galaxy AI button near the bottom of the screen, tap it to access special features like creating a custom wallpaper, reformatting notes, and summarizing web pages.
What phones have Galaxy AI?
When Samsung released Galaxy AI in early 2024, it was limited to the Samsung Galaxy 24 series phones. Samsung wasted no time releasing Galaxy AI on Galaxy devices, tablets, and earbuds. Galaxy AI is available on the following Samsung phones:
Samsung Galaxy S24 series
Samsung Galaxy S23 series
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 6
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 6
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and Buds 2 Pro
Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
Samsung will also release a pared-down version of Galaxy AI without the instant Slow-Mo feature on the following devices:
Samsung Galaxy S22 series
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8 Ultra
If you own a Samsung Galaxy S21 series phone, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, or Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, expect to see Circle to Search and Magic Rewrite, two of Galaxy AI's most popular features, make their way to your device.
How much does Galaxy AI cost?
Like Apple Intelligence, Galaxy AI is free, but you must log in to your Samsung account to use some features. These features require more advanced AI processing capabilities that rely on Vertex AI on Google Cloud. Samsung needs to keep track of who uses Google Cloud for accounting purposes, and eventually, there could be an associated charge.
If you own a compatible phone with these features activated, you can use summaries, transcribe, transcript assist, and other AI features in any app without paying. That could change in 2026. Samsung has a footnote about this limitation on the Galaxy S24 store page.
At least some features will remain free, according to Samsung Mobile President TM Roh. No further information is available at this time. Check back for more updates about the charges associated with Galaxy AI and how billing works.
Get in the AI game
In the meantime, you can enjoy artificial intelligence on your compatible Samsung device without any concerns about the cost. It makes sense to keep an eye on competing AI services in 2025 if Samsung's pricing pushes important Galaxy AI features outside your monthly budget.
