Image credit — Google
According to a new report, Google might just be joining the AI-powered creativity game. Hints found in the code of Android 15 Beta 3 suggest that the upcoming Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro phones could feature a new tool called “Creative Assistant”. This tool, likely exclusive to Pixel phones, could use artificial intelligence to generate stickers and emojis, similar to Apple’s Genmoji feature.The Creative Assistant app itself isn’t available in the beta version, but references to it have been found within other apps. For example, the Markup app mentions a “remix” button that seems connected to the Creative Assistant. This suggests that users might be able to create stickers using AI and then add them to screenshots or other images.
Google Markup app without and with “Creative Assistant” remix button forcefully enabled | Image credit: Android Authority
One big question is whether the Creative Assistant will work directly on the phone or if it will rely on cloud computing. The Pixel 9‘s expected Tensor G4 chip, combined with Gemini Nano, could potentially handle sticker generation due to the smaller size and resolution of stickers compared to other images.This Creative Assistant seems like a natural next step for Google’s Gboard app, which already includes the Emoji Kitchen feature for combining emojis. The new tool could potentially offer generative features for creating entirely new emojis. Whether it will be able to rival Apple’s Genmoji, which was unveiled at WWDC and allows users to generate emojis in the messenger app, remains to be seen.
The possibility of exclusive AI features on Pixel phones could make them a more attractive option compared to other Android phones. However, if Google’s history of feature rollouts shows us anything, it is that they usually do eventually end up rolling out to other devices in time, or as a paid feature tied in to Google One. We’ll have to wait for more information to see how Google’s AI-powered creativity tool compares to Apple’s Genmoji and whether it will be accessible to a wider range of users.
