In a surprising move, Google has decided to make its latest AI model, known as "Google Gemini," available on the smaller Pixel 8 smartphone. Earlier this year, Google had stated that only the Pixel 8 Pro would support the AI model due to hardware limitations. However, the company has now announced that the Pixel 8 will receive Gemini Nano, a smartphone-centric version of the AI model, in the next major Android release scheduled for June.

Although the Pixel 8 will have access to Gemini Nano, there is a catch. Unlike the Pixel 8 Pro, where the AI model is a user-facing feature, it will only be available as a developer option on the Pixel 8. This means that users will have to navigate to the hidden Developer Options menu in the settings to enable it, making it less accessible to the average user.

Seang Chau, Google's VP of devices and services software, explained the decision during the company's "Made by Google" podcast. He cited the Pixel 8's lower memory capacity, with 8GB of RAM compared to the Pixel 8 Pro's 12GB, as the main reason for the initial exclusion. Google wants to ensure that enabling the AI model does not degrade the user experience on devices with limited memory.

One of the features that require the AI models to be "RAM-resident" is "smart reply," an automatic text generation feature. Chau emphasized that having the model resident in memory ensures responsiveness, avoiding any delays when using the Gboard reply. While the Pixel 8 Pro offers the option to enable or disable smart reply through the keyboard settings, the Pixel 8 will require users to enable the developer flag first.

Running AI models like Gemini Nano on smartphones could potentially consume a significant amount of system memory. This raises the question of whether the current baseline of 8GB of RAM for Android phones will need to be increased in the future. Flagship devices already boast 12GB or 16GB of RAM, with some even reaching up to 24GB.

Interestingly, Gemini Nano will also be available on the Galaxy S24 lineup, a device with comparable memory specifications to the Pixel 8. This further adds to the confusion surrounding the initial hardware limitations explanation provided by Google.

While Google is pushing AI technology due to its own internal reasons, there are mixed opinions on whether users actually desire OS-level generative AI features. Some argue that the RAM consumed by these features could be better utilized by other apps. Google acknowledges these concerns and is conducting system health validation to ensure a smooth user experience, even for developers who use their phones on a daily basis.

As the June Android release approaches, Pixel 8 users will soon have the option to experience the Gemini Nano AI model. It remains to be seen how the availability of this feature will be received and if it will drive demand for AI-centric smartphones in the future.