In 2024, the world was promised a new era of AI-powered smartphones that would revolutionize the way we interact with our devices. However, after a year of flagship launches and loud proclamations, the reality is that AI on smartphones remains a sideshow, with most features feeling like loosely associated tech demos rather than a cohesive platform shift.

From Samsung's Galaxy S24 launch in January to Apple's iPhone 16 and Google's Pixel 9 series, every major phone maker has touted their devices as "AI smartphones." But upon closer inspection, the AI features on these devices are underwhelming, often feeling like gimmicks rather than game-changing innovations. Samsung's Galaxy AI, for example, can help remove distractions from photos, but often ends up creating more distracting results. Google's Gemini AI, meanwhile, offers a range of features, including AI-generated summaries and image generation tools, but they feel siloed and disconnected from each other.

Apple's iPhone 16, which was initially launched without Apple Intelligence, finally received its AI features in late October with iOS 18.1. However, the update was underwhelming, with features like notification summaries and writing tools feeling like standard fare rather than revolutionary AI capabilities. Siri, Apple's AI assistant, remains largely unchanged, with a new glowing UI being the most notable update.

The problem is not just limited to phones. The AI landscape as a whole is messy, with AI being foisted upon us in every direction, from Google search results to Meta products and Spotify apps. It's hard to separate the signal from the noise, and the noise is loud. However, there may be a signal in there, especially when it comes to our phones. Siri may become more useful with an Apple Intelligence update this spring, and Google seems to be preparing a similar framework in Android 16.

But after a year of supposedly game-changing AI on our mobile devices that amounted to nothing, it's starting to sound like the phone makers are crying wolf. The real AI smartphones need to stand up pretty soon, before our collective patience starts to run out. As the industry looks to 2025, it's clear that the AI revolution on smartphones is still a work in progress, and it's time for phone makers to put their money where their mouths are.

In conclusion, 2024 was a year of underwhelming innovation in the AI smartphone space. Despite the loud proclamations, the reality is that AI on smartphones remains a sideshow, and it's time for phone makers to deliver on their promises. As the industry moves forward, it's clear that the AI revolution on smartphones is still a work in progress, and it's time for phone makers to put their money where their mouths are.