Google May Launch Pixel-Exclusive AI Assistant Pixie With Pixel 9 Series

Google unveiled the Pixel 8 series of smartphones in October this year and it is likely to be followed by the Pixel 9 lineup in 2024. Although the expected launch of the next Pixel series is several months away, few rumoured details of the handsets have surfaced online including processor and charging features. Now, a report claims that the Mountain View, California-based tech giant may be working on a new Pixel-exclusive Artificial Intelligence assistant, that may arrive with the Pixel 9 series.

According to a report by The Information (via MySmartPrice), Google is working on a Pixel-exclusive AI assistant called Pixie. The report claims that the new AI assistant is expected to perform all the functions of the current Google Assistant and more. The assistant will likely be baked into the Google Pixel 9 series in 2024. It is important to note that ‘Pixie’ may be an internal codename and vary from its final name.

The report also claims that Pixie would integrate data from several Google products and services, such as Gmail and Maps, to provide more personalised assistance to users. It is said to be able to perform sophisticated and multimodal activities such as directing someone to the nearest store where they can purchase a product they have photographed. The rumoured AI assistant is tipped to be powered by Gemini Nano.

Google intends to expand Pixie beyond the upcoming flagship Pixel 9 series to lower-end phones as well as other devices such as wearables, according to the report. It is unclear whether the AI assistant will be available for existing smartphones or if it will just be available for future products. 

An earlier report suggested that the Pixel 9 phones are likely to be powered by Tensor G4 SoCs, which have been tipped to carry the codename “Zuma Pro.” Notably, the Tensor G3 chipsets that power the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have the codename “Zuma.” The Google Pixel 9 series is also expected to be among the first Android phones to adopt Qi2 wireless charging technology.