5 Best AI Phones of 2024: Features, Performance, and Value
AI phones, or smartphones with built-in AI capabilities, represent the next big leap forward in cellular device technology. The best AI phones offer AI-enhanced photography, generative AI photo editing, text summarization, writing assistants, instant translation, and other AI features that improve the user experience and enable you to do more with your phone in less time, with little technical know-how. At least, that’s the promise phone vendors are making—but as companies push to inspire users to upgrade from their old phones, it can be difficult to separate hype from reality.
We evaluated five of the best AI smartphones to see what they can do and how they compare on use cases, strengths, weaknesses, AI features, and pricing. Here are our picks for the best AI smartphones of 2024:
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Best for a Broad Suite of AI Tools
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: Best for a Small AI Flip Phone
- Google Pixel 9 Pro: Best for AI-Enhanced Photo Editing
- Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Best for Camera Performance
- iPhone 16 Pro: Best for Generative AI Features
Featured Partners: AI Software
Best AI Phone Comparison
| Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 | Google Pixel 9 Pro | Xiaomi 14 Ultra | iPhone 16 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI-Enhanced Photography | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Photo Editing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Text Summarization | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| AI Live Translation | Yes for 13 languages | Yes for 13 languages | Yes | No, but offers AI subtitles | Yes |
| AI-Powered Voice Assistant | Bixby | Bixby | Gemini Live | No | Siri |
| AI Writing Tools | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Circle to Search | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Supported via Google Lens app |
| In-House AI Tech | Galaxy AI | Galaxy AI | Gemini AI | N/A | Apple Intelligence |
| Size (Main Display) | 6.8” | 6.7”, 3.4” cover screen | 6.3” | 6.73” | 6.3” |
| Weight | 8.22 oz | 6.6 oz | 6.98 oz | 7.75 oz | 7 oz |
| Operating System | Android 14 | Android 14 | Android 14 | Hyper OS | Apple iOS |
| Battery Life | 27 hours | 23 hours | 13 hours | 12 hours | 27 hours |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Best for a Broad Suite of AI Tools
Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, is a category leader in mobile AI. Its suite of intelligent AI tools, known as Galaxy AI, is arguably the widest and most robust out there, offering everything from an AI-enhanced camera and to generative photo editing and text summarization. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which was purpose-built to handle complex AI tasks, the phone offers fast performance across its toolset.
Interpreter—one of its most notable artificial intelligence features—automatically translates phone calls, texts, and live in-person conversations into more than 13 different languages. This feature, along with its AI-powered photography with a high-resolution 10x zoom option, makes the Galaxy S24 a valuable option for travelers. Equally game-changing—especially for shopaholics—is the Circle to Search tool, which lets you look up objects on your screen by drawing a circle around them. For example, if you saw a pair of pants in a YouTube video, you could circle them and receive results of shopping links to those pants or similar-looking ones.
There are, however, a few drawbacks. Some of the AI features it promotes come off as gimmicky and limited. The AI photo editing, for instance, still feels like a beta test, and users often complain that it’s often noticeable where you made the edit. The face scanner is known to make mistakes. Samsung is expected to improve these issues in future software updates.
Why We Picked Galaxy S24 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a great option if you’re looking for a durable, premium phone with a stunning display, state-of-the-art camera, two-day battery life under moderate usage, and easy-to-learn AI tools.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Highly intuitive user interface | Pricing prohibitive to some users |
| Long battery life | AI face scanner is underwhelming |
| Wide set of AI features | Slightly slow, multi-step AI photo editing |
Pricing
- 256 GB: $1,299.99
- 512 GB: $1,419.99
- 1 TB: $1,659.99
Features
- AI-powered photo editing
- AI note-taking and text summarization
- Circle to Search
- Live translation for 13 languages
- Chat Assist tone suggestions and grammar correction
- AI-suggested text replies
- Quad rear camera
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Best for a Compact AI Flip Phone
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is Samsung’s clamshell-design flip phone and an excellent choice for people looking for a small, compact device they can easily fit in their pockets. When closed, the phone is square-shaped, but when open, it looks like any regular smartphone—although you can see a slight crease separating the two halves.
Despite the Flip 6’s smaller size when compared to Samsung’s S24 Ultra, it still has the same RAM (12 GB) and Galaxy AI features. This includes AI-powered message reply suggestions, photo editing, text summarization, and translation. A notable difference between this model and the S24 is that the Flip 6 only has two rear cameras where the S24 has four. However, the rear camera is still powerful, living up to Samsung’s reputation as the photographer’s smartphone. Taking selfies with this phone is seamless. There’s no need to unflip it—it can remain closed. Simply double tap the power button, then the screen, and you’ll have a high-quality selfie. If you watched the Olympics, you likely saw athletes doing exactly this due to a partnership with Samsung.
As for weaknesses, the phone is a bit slow to charge, and some AI features seem cooler in advertisements than in use—for example, the AI photo editing tools can be glitchy and ineffective.
Why We Picked Galaxy Z Flip 6
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is an extremely durable, compact flip phone with a long battery life and many of the same features you’d find in Samsung’s flagship phone at a lower price point.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Compact flip phone | Screen crease between top and bottom half |
| All day battery life | High pricing |
| Includes Galaxy AI features | Only two rear cameras |
Pricing
- 256 GB: $1,099.99
- 512 GB: $1,219.99
Features
- AI-enhanced photo editing
- AI note-taking and text summarization
- Dual rear camera
- Circle to Search
- Live translation for 13 languages
- Chat Assist tone suggestions and grammar correction
- AI-suggested text replies
Google Pixel 9 Pro
Best for AI-Enhanced Photo Editing
Powered by Gemini AI, Google’s large language model, the Pixel 9 Pro is a sleek smartphone known for its almost magical-feeling photo editing abilities. With the Magic Editor feature, you can move, resize, and remove objects from photos, adjust the background, and even expand photos. For example, if you took a picture of yourself in front of a tree and captured only the trunk, you can expand it upwards and the editor will add realistic branches, leaves, and other features it predicts would likely follow.
The Add-Me tool makes it easy to merge two photos into one. A common use case is group photos. Instead of leaving the photo-taker out of the picture, you can have two people take two separate photos, then merge them together, creating a final photo that includes everyone in your group. The Pixel 9 Pro also offers generative AI photo editing. With Reimagine, tap the part of the photo you want edited and type the changes you want to see, whether that’s adding a lake in the background or brightening your yellow shirt.
Its AI voice assistance software, Gemini Live, is strikingly human-like. Interacting with it feels natural, almost like a real conversation with an assistant. Its voice recognition rarely malfunctions, and it handles your interruptions well. You can change the topic mid-response and it won’t miss a beat.
Despite all these advantages, the Pixel does have a few weaknesses. For starters, it’s a bit slower than competitors. Transitions to other apps, pages, or screens aren’t always instantaneous. Second, its camera can sometimes feel jerky or unstable, causing problems for video recording.
Why We Picked Google Pixel 9 Pro
If you want a phone that offers a delightful user experience and has some of the best AI photo editing and voice assistants available, you’ll likely enjoy the Pixel 9 Pro.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Delightful user experience with satisfying animations | Price seems higher than the value |
| Gemini Live feels like a real human conversation | Magic AI Editor can’t be used on people |
| Best-in-class AI photo editing features | Slower than competing phones |
Pricing
- 128 GB: $999
- 256 GB: $1,099
- 512 GB: $1,219
- 1 TB: $1,449
Features
- Call Notes to transcribe calls
- Built-in Gemini AI
- Text summarization
- Circle to Search
- Add-Me for photo merging
- Magic Editor
- Generative AI photo editing
- Human-like Gemini Live voice assistant
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Best for Camera Performance
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra continues the brand’s tradition of delivering high-resolution photography experiences, with smart camera features playing a significant role. This makes it a great option for people who want to capture crisp, detailed photos in a variety of conditions and distances. The camera itself has four Leica Summilux lenses in six focal lengths, all covered in anti-glare coating. It uses enhanced light intake, which can help make your photos look more intricate, especially in darker environments. The image sensor (1/0.98-inch) is one of the largest in the smartphone market, allowing for more information capture and wider shots.
One key AI-driven camera feature is AI Ultra Zoom 30x, which gives you clear shots even when shooting from a great distance. Another is AI Image Enhancement, where AI works in the background to upscale images, reduce noise, and improve image clarity. Master Portrait mode lets you make realistic photos of people. Xiaomi is also great for shooting professional-grade video. It comes with four microphones, a 4K front video camera, automatic focus switching, and other innovative video features.
One common complaint about the camera is that it feels bulky, sort of like a separate piece of tech slapped onto the phone. The camera also makes it top-heavy. When you’re holding it from the bottom, it can sometimes fall forward out of your hand. The phone’s sturdy, aluminum-frame design and wear-resistant screen glass help it stay undamaged from such falls, a substantial perk for adventure photographers. Still, users recommend getting the camera grip accessory to make the phone feel like a real camera.
The operating system, Hyper OS, is lightweight and intuitive, but might require some getting used to if you’re coming from Apple products. Some of the settings icons, for example, don’t have any text under them, so you’ll have to memorize what they mean.
Why We Picked Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Even in a smartphone market in which photography features now rival semi-pro cameras, the Xiaomi stands out for its camera. Indeed, most of the 14 Ultra’s AI features revolve around the camera and photo editing. If you want a Xiaomi with AI tools like Circle to Search, text summarization, and content creation, check out the Xiaomi 14T Series.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Attractive, futuristic “liquid display” screen | Large camera module makes it top-heavy |
| Ultra-high resolution camera | Lacks core AI features found in competing smartphones |
| Lightweight operating system (less than 10 GB) | Slight learning curve for new users |
Pricing
- $1,640 in UK
- $1,085 in US
Features
- Quad camera for highly intricate photos
- AI-powered Hyper OS that adapts to your usage and lifestyle
- AI photo editing tools
- AI album search
- AI-generated video subtitles
- Generative image expansions
- AI ultra zoom
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Best for Generative AI Features
Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro is a lightning-quick phone that is scheduled to receive Apple’s advanced mobile AI functionality, known as Apple Intelligence, in the 18.1 update in fall of 2024. Apple claims the AI update will improve Siri’s conversational abilities and unlock AI-powered writing tools across applications wherever you type, enabling you to more effectively express yourself in text, chat, social, and documents. You can use these tools to rewrite a text in a different tone, proofread a professional email, make a note more concise, and more.
As for AI image generation, the Image Playground allows you to turn your textual descriptions into images and illustrations. You can even turn people in your contacts into personalized emojis known as Genmojis. Apple Intelligence will also offer AI-powered text summarization, so you can receive and read the main points of a long group chat conversation or online research paper in seconds, and a new Focus mode called Reduced Interruptions will analyze notifications and decide if they are urgent and worth displaying on your screen.
On the downside, the phone is high-priced while remaining similar to previous versions. Also, although the generative AI writing tools sound useful, they may in practice only prove relevant to professional journalists and writers.
Why We Picked Apple iPhone 16 Pro
The iPhone 16 Pro gives users a premium experience, easy-to-learn software, long-lasting battery, and Apple’s newfound focus on AI—this is the phone that Apple has positioned as its AI device, so expect AI upgrades over its lifecycle. Additionally, if you have AppleCare, you can work with highly competent technicians to troubleshoot issues and repair your phone for affordable prices.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Robust AI writing features | Barely different from previous iPhone generation |
| Easy to repair (especially with AppleCare) | Not releasing all AI features at once |
| Fast performance, strong battery, and smooth graphics | Phone colors are strikingly bland |
Pricing
- 126 GB: $999
- 256 GB: $1,099
- 512 GB: $1,299
- 1 TB: $1499
Features
- AI writing tools
- Text summarization
- AI image generation from text-based descriptions
- Enhanced Siri voice assistance
- AI voice translation
- AI-enhanced photo editing
Key Features of AI Phones
From AI-powered cameras to photo editing tools to automated summaries of articles, AI phones offer some incredible time-saving AI features.
AI-Powered Camera
Modern smartphones employ AI-powered cameras that use machine learning to polish and improve photos automatically. Features like scene optimization, portrait mode with depth sensing, and real-time object recognition help capture professional-quality images. AI algorithms can even adjust camera settings like exposure or brightness instantly to improve the photo. For example, if a Samsung Galaxy S24’s camera recognizes the moon, the Scene Optimizer will automatically control the brightness to ensure the moon image is as clear as possible, instead of looking like a ball of white light.
Text Summarization
AI text summarization tools in smartphones can quickly condense lengthy articles, documents, and web content into concise, coherent summaries. Using natural language processing, the software identifies key points and main ideas, saving users time while keeping the essential meaning of the original text. While helpful for the general user, this AI feature is especially useful for writers and journalists conducting research on their devices.
Photo Editing
AI-powered photo editing on smartphones offers one-tap enhancements that transform amateur shots into polished images. Advanced features include automatic object removal, background replacement, portrait lighting adjustment, and generative image editing. Some phones, like the Google Pixel 9 Pro, even allow you to describe your desired alterations in text, making the editing process easy for non-technical users.
Voice Assistance
AI-driven voice assistants understand natural language commands to perform tasks, answer questions, and control devices. Two of the most well-known are Apple’s Siri and Google’s Gemini Live. Thanks to machine learning, these helpful AI assistants can improve accuracy over time and provide personalized, context-aware responses. Most assistants offer several voices to choose from, allowing you to pick a tone and accent that satisfies your ears.
Facial Recognition
Smartphone facial recognition leverages AI algorithms to map unique facial features for secure device unlocking and authentication. With an iPhone, for instance, the phone opens when the front camera recognizes your face. To pull this off, the technology analyzes depth, contours, and other facial attributes to create facial signatures. Modern systems can adapt to changes like facial hair or medical masks while maintaining high security standards. You can also use facial recognition to search more effectively through your photo library. Type in a name of a friend and immediately see all the pictures that include them.
Bottom Line: AI Phones Are Just Getting Started
AI phones are still relatively new, so it remains to be seen how AI features like instant translation, text generation, and AI-enhanced photo editing will evolve for everyday users. For now, as these features are still in their infancy, it may be a good idea to keep them on the lower end of your priority list when evaluating a new phone. Battery life, durability, ease-of-use, operating speed, display, price—these are likely better factors to consider, at least for the time being. Still, it’s always interesting to keep track of how AI is revolutionizing phone use.
See eWeek’s guide to the best AI apps for a list of Android and iOS mobile apps to enhance your phone.
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