Top 3 Key Points:
- Google Pixel 9 could introduce a new feature called Creative Assistant.
- Creative Assistant might leverage generative AI to create custom stickers.
- This feature could integrate with existing image editing tools like Google Markup.
Ever dreamt of personalizing your messages with one-of-a-kind stickers? Google might be making that dream a reality with the upcoming Pixel 9 series. Leaks suggest a new feature called Creative Assistant that utilizes generative AI, the hottest tech trend, to craft custom stickers.
While the Pixel 9 launch is still months away, details about the phones have been steadily trickling out. We’ve seen potential designs and even the wallpapers Google designed, but information on the software side remains scarce. Aside from rumors of a new AI assistant named Pixie and an Adaptive Touch feature, the extent of Pixel 9’s intelligent functionalities remains shrouded in mystery. This includes Creative Assistant, whose debut seems likely on the Pixel 9 considering Google’s usual strategy of reserving such features for new device launches.
So, what exactly is Creative Assistant, and how do we know it exists? Clues lie within the Android 15 Beta 3 code. Here, we encounter an app named Creative Assistant, seemingly exclusive to Pixel devices based on its unique identifier. References to this app appear in two places: the code related to the Tensor chip’s TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) and the latest version of the Google Markup app.
Although the full Creative Assistant app is missing from the Beta build, the references within the Markup app offer some valuable insights. (For those unfamiliar, the Markup app allows editing and annotating screenshots in apps like Google Photos.) First, the Markup app declares special permission related to saving stickers, accessible only to apps signed with the same security certificate. Interestingly, the Markup app itself requests this permission and checks for the presence of the Creative Assistant app.
Next, the code hints at a “remix” button within the Markup app’s annotation function. Clicking this button would likely launch an activity within Creative Assistant. This suggests the possibility of using generative AI to “remix” or create a custom sticker, which you can then paste onto a screenshot or any image you’re editing.
The Creative Assistant app would handle the sticker generation, while Markup would simply be the editing tool providing access to this functionality. It’s also possible that this sticker-making feature might find its way into the Google Photos app, considering its existing integration with Markup.
While the evidence doesn’t conclusively reveal whether the Creative Assistant app will generate images directly on the device, its mention within the TPU app service code suggests that possibility. The Pixel 9 series is expected to boast Google’s next-generation Tensor G4 chip and a more powerful version of the Gemini Nano AI model.
It wouldn’t be surprising if it also housed a mobile-optimized image diffusion model, perfectly suited for generating the smaller, lower-resolution stickers. Google has long offered a variety of stickers and emojis through Gboard, and Creative Assistant feels like a natural evolution of those efforts, further personalizing the Android experience.
One remaining question mark is exclusivity. Will this feature be restricted to the Pixel 9, or will it work on older Tensor Pixel devices? The presence of a Creative Assistant placeholder within the Pixel 8’s Android 15 Beta 3 build hints at potential compatibility with Tensor G3-powered devices as well. Unfortunately, a definitive answer remains elusive for now.
