The 5 best smartphones with AI in 2024

Thanks to incredible advancements in AI, some of the latest Android smartphones can do almost anything: Help you compose an email or text, give you the TL;DR on a long document; or help edit a photo in much less time. Some can also translate conversations in real time. Plus, if you’re tired of replaying long recordings of meetings, classes or calls just to pick out the most important bits, this is something AI will do for you in mere seconds. 

These AI functions are above and beyond what ChatGPT-4, Alexa or Siri can offer. 

Let’s take a look at the latest smartphones that already include artificial intelligence and what they do. In Android mobile devices, Google calls its artificial intelligence technology Google AI. It’s available right now (or coming soon) in several popular Android smartphones.

Meanwhile Apple is promising its own AI overhaul soon. This fall, the iOS 18 operating system update will include Apple Intelligence. This functionality is coming to the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. 

What is the best smartphone with AI?

Some apps can put AI at your fingertips on any smartphone right now, like ChatGPT or Microsoft CoPilot. But if you’re looking for a AI baked right into a phone, at the moment, you’re limited to just a few options at the moment. But they’re worth looking at.

Best smartphone with AI overall: Google Pixel 8 Pro

The Pixel 8 Pro gives you access to the newest AI tools and features like Circle to Search, advanced call screening, enhanced Google Assistant and more powerful language translation. 

When it comes to photos, the power of AI gives users access to Magic Editor and Magic Eraser to remove unwanted objects from photos, while Magic Audio Eraser can remove unwanted sounds from the videos you shoot. The Zoom Enhance feature better focuses on far away subjects and ensures they appear clear, even when using 30x digital zoom. 

If you’re taking a group photo, there’s always that one person who looks away from the camera, blinks at the wrong time or forgets to smile. The Best Take feature uses AI to compensate for this by digitally fixing that person’s face to better match the other subjects in your photo. And the Recorder app automatically creates a summary of each recording and formats it into a convenient bulleted list.

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is currently Google’s flagship smartphone. It’s also the device where you’ll discover the most advanced AI tools right now. In our coverage of the seven best cell phones of 2024, the Pixel 8 Pro was among our top picks — and with good reason.

Since Google designed the Android operating system, it makes sense that the most advanced capabilities, including Google AI features, are debuting in this smartphone first. Overall, this phone’s features are on par with many higher-end Android phones, but is less expensive. The Pixel 8 Pro also works seamlessly with all of the other mobile devices in the Google’s Pixel ecosystem, which includes a tablet, smartwatch, wireless earbuds and a nice selection of smart gear.

Google has promised seven years of security, OS and feature updates for this phone. For anyone who wants to truly maximize what’s possible from the Android OS and Google AI and use their smartphone as a powerful communications, productivity, and entertainment tool, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is a versatile and affordable option — especially for power users.

Best value smartphone with AI: OnePlus 12

Thanks to this phone’s high-end hardware configuration, this Android-14-friendly phone is powerful enough to play with Google AI. Right now, it only runs third-party AI chatbot apps, like ChatGPT. But that’s about to change.

Over the next several months, many of the latest AI features and functions from Google AI will be added to this phone via a pending OS update. This includes integration with Google’s Cloud AI apps and services.

OnePlus has contracted with Google to include Gemini 1.0 Ultra into this smartphone, which is Google’s most powerful AI model. Once Google Gemini 1.0 Ultra is added to the OnePlus 12, this smartphone will easily summarize news, web pages, documents and audio files, as well as create more compelling social media content. It will also provide advanced photo and video editing tools, like AI Eraser (OnePlus’ version of Google’s Magic Eraser). OnePlus has announced plans to introduce more than 100 AI features into its phones over the next five years. 

But while you’re waiting for that update, you can use it as the feature-packed and high-end smartphone that it is. We like it because it’s less expensive, but just as versatile as competing models. Be sure to read our full review of the OnePlus 12.

Best smartphone with AI for power users: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

In addition to being Samsung’s flagship smartphone and one of the most popular Android phones you can get, the Galaxy S24 Ultra was one of the very first to introduce Google AI.  

In addition to the Circle to Search feature, this was the first smartphone to offer real-time language translation during phone calls, as well as in-person and during text message exchanges. The Note Assist feature takes long text documents and summarizes them into short, bulleted lists. Meanwhile, the Generative Edit feature provides you with far more advanced photo editing capabilities than what’s ever before been possible — including access to the Magic Erase tool. 

The Chat Assist features a powerful AI chatbot. Now you can almost instantly locate content, files or photos, get your questions answered, and more. Google AI can help with texts too. It makes your messages either sound more professional or more conversational, based on the people you’re communicating with.

This smartphone runs Android 14 (or later) and features a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3,120 x 1,440 pixel resolution. The screen also offers a maximum brightness of 2,600 nits. It comes configured with 12GB of RAM and has a main rear-facing camera that offers an incredible 200MP resolution. It’s IP68 rated for water resistance. 

The Galaxy S24 Ultra measures 6.38 x 3.11 x 0.33 inches and weighs 8.21 ounces. It’s also powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile platform for Galaxy processor. With each Android OS update, users are see exciting new AI features and functions, as well as the apps that come preinstalled with it.

Best phone with AI for average users: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was also one of the first smartphones to build in Google AI, providing advanced tools like Circle to Search, Photo Assist, Live Translate and so much more. We’ve also been seeing AI enhancements and additional features with each new OS update.

We’re huge fans of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, because it offers the full functionality of a smartphone bundled into a more compact device that easily folds and fits inside a pocket. At the moment, this is the most popular folding smartphone. In our coverage of the best Android phones for 2024, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was one of our top picks.

This phone got an eye-catching upgrade for its 5th generation. It now includes the Flex Window. It’s a 3.4-inch AMOLED screen located on the outside of the phone that can easily be used for one-handed operation when the phone is shut.

This outside window is one of the most convenient features this versatile smartphone offers. It gives you a way to check messages, interact with apps, see alerts or incoming messages, plus interact with others without having to open the phone. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This means you can count on fast and reliable performance. 

Best premium smartphone with AI: Xiaomi 14 Ultra

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra runs the equivalent of Android 14 using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile processor, so it supports the Google AI functions embedded into the Android OS and preinstalled apps. Plus, you get access to the AI functions offered by all of Google’s apps and services. 

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra phone is immensely powerful, but comes from a brand that offers limited distribution and has less popularity in the United States. That said, this phone comes unlocked. While it only works with a few U.S. cellular service providers (including T-Mobile), it’s ready to travel with you virtually anywhere in the world to provide 4G LTE and 5G connectivity.

The phone features an advanced camera system co-designed by Leica, which includes a main, 50MP rear-facing camera. You also get a 6.73-inch AMOLED WQHD+ touchscreen display with 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution and an incredibly fast 144Hz refresh rate. The display also offers a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits, along with HDR support, Dolby Vision support and a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. This makes it one of the most advanced and visually impressive displays you’ll find on any smartphone.

As one of the most advanced phones in the world, this one supports the newest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 wireless protocols. It comes configured with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. We love the camera system’s capabilities when it comes to shooting, editing, displaying and sharing photos and up to 8K video content. You get pro-level photography and videography features, supported by AI, packed into a smartphone.

What is an AI smartphone?

It’s a smartphone that has AI tools and features built into the phone’s operating system and the apps that come preinstalled. Right now, you’ll find this functionality in some of the higher-end Android phones through the use of Google AI technology. 

Google AI is part of the Google Gemini ecosystem. Its objective is to streamline everyday tasks people use their mobile device for, plus provide a more personalized experience. In fact, with Google AI, your phone will learn from your past activities and anticipate your needs moving forward. And in some cases, it’ll automatically handle certain tasks on your behalf, like adding into your calendar an appointment that someone sends you an email or text message about.

And that’s just the beginning. Google has extended AI capabilities into Google Calendar, Chrome, Google Photos, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Tasks, Gmail and all of the Google Workspace apps. New AI features and tools are being added with each OS and app update. Also incorporated into Google’s AI technology are ever-improving privacy and security features.

Third-party developers for Android and iOS are also jumping on the AI bandwagon. For example, if you’re looking for a virtual friend customized just for you, there’s the Replika app and service. It’s a chatbot companion that has a unique avatar and personality. (Think Hal 9000 from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”) 

If you’re looking for a low-cost smartphone, be sure to check out our coverage of the five best smartphones under $500. And if you need advice about switching from an Apple iPhone to an Android phone, or transitioning from an Android phone to an iPhone, we’ve got you covered.