Generative AI is all the trend proper now in Silicon Valley, and regardless of the numerous points we’ve seen, it’s being deployed in mainly each app and repair we use right now. Even Apple hopped on the bandwagon, asserting options like Genmoji, which makes use of generative AI to create customized emojis in iOS 18. To not be outdone by Apple, Google is working by itself function that makes use of generative AI to create customized stickers and presumably emojis as properly. The function is likely to be referred to as Artistic Assistant, and it may debut on the upcoming Google Pixel 9 collection later this yr.

Though the Pixel 9 collection received’t debut till October, many particulars of the 4 units within the lineup have already leaked. We’ve seen dwell photographs and renders of the units in addition to the wallpapers that Google made for them. What we haven’t seen a lot of, although, is info on the brand new software program that Google will introduce on the Pixel 9 collection. Other than the rumors of the machine’s new AI assistant named Pixie and an Adaptive Contact function, we don’t know for certain what different clever options Google will debut on the Pixel 9 collection. That features Artistic Assistant, which we’re solely assuming will debut on the Pixel 9 collection, provided that it’s the sort of function that Google would usually reserve for a brand new machine launch.

So what’s Artistic Assistant, and the way do we all know it exists? Artistic Assistant is a brand new Android app that appears to be Pixel-exclusive, judging by its bundle title (a novel identifier for every app put in on an Android machine). Its bundle title is com.google.android.apps.pixel.creativeassistant (emphasis mine). It’s referenced in two locations: A binary associated to the TPU within the Tensor chip and the most recent model of the Google Markup app shipped in Android 15 Beta 3.

Though the total Artistic Assistant app itself is lacking from Android 15 Beta 3 builds, the references to it within the Google Markup app make clear just a few key particulars (the Markup app, when you aren’t conscious, handles screenshot enhancing and annotations in some apps like Google Pictures). Firstly, the Markup app declares the com.google.android.markup.remix.permission.SAVE_STICKER permission with a safety degree of “signature,” which means solely different apps signed with the identical certificates will be granted the permission. The Markup app itself requests this permission and queries for the existence of the Artistic Assistant app.

Subsequent, code throughout the Markup app suggests there’ll be a “remix” button within the annotate exercise that, when tapped, launches an exercise in Artistic Assistant. This implies to me that you just’ll be capable of create (“remix”) a sticker utilizing generative AI and paste it onto a screenshot or different picture you’re enhancing. The brand new Artistic Assistant app will deal with the sticker technology, whereas Markup is solely the picture enhancing device by which you’ll entry it. It’s potential that this sticker “remix” performance is also built-in into the Google Pictures app, provided that it already integrates Markup.

It’s troublesome to know for sure from the out there proof whether or not the Artistic Assistant app will generate photographs on machine, nevertheless it being talked about within the edge TPU app service binary raises the chance. The Pixel 9 collection will function Google’s next-gen Tensor G4 system on a chip in addition to a extra highly effective model of Gemini Nano. It wouldn’t be a stretch to think about that it may additionally function a mobile-optimized picture diffusion mannequin, and given the smaller dimension and determination of stickers, I can see it figuring out. Via Gboard, Google has lengthy provided the flexibility to mess around with stickers and emojis, so Artistic Assistant looks like a pure extension to the personalization options that the corporate already provides on Android.

It’s additionally unclear whether or not this function will likely be unique to the Pixel 9 or if it’ll work on current Tensor Pixels. The stub for the Artistic Assistant app will be discovered within the Android 15 Beta 3 construct for the Pixel 8, which may imply it’ll come to Tensor G3-powered units as properly. Sadly, we simply don’t know at the moment.