Credit: Damien Wilde / Android Authority
Google revealed last week that it wouldn’t be rolling out Gemini Nano — its on-device AI model — to the vanilla Pixel 8. Understandably, this isn’t an ideal situation for those who chose the cheaper Pixel instead of the Pro. However, our survey shows AI isn’t the biggest reason people bought the standard Pixel 8 — it’s the phone’s size.
The goal of on-device AI models like Gemini Nano is to prevent sensitive user data from leaving the phone as well as offer users the ability to use AI features offline. Google made a big deal about Gemini and its various avatars during the launch of the Pixel 8 series, but as it stands today, Gemini Nano only powers two features on the Pixel 8 Pro: Summarize in Recorder and Smart Reply in Gboard.