What you need to know
- Samsung has reportedly dropped Google’s Gemini as the backbone of Galaxy AI for “Ernie” from Chinese company Baidu for the Galaxy S24.
- The software is said to be Baidu’s response to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and will provide the S24 series with AI translations, summaries, and more.
- It’s suggested that this decision could’ve been made as Samsung continues to slip further down the list of preferred smartphone creators in China.
In the Chinese market, Samsung has switched out Google’s Gemini for its “Galaxy AI” software.
CNBC reports Samsung’s Galaxy S24 will tap “Ernie” from Chinese corporation Baidu for all the heavy lifting behind its Galaxy AI software (via The Verge). The bot is said to be Baidu’s “response” to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which has reportedly surpassed 100 million users.
According to a company statement, Ernier will “translate content and summarize lengthy content into clear, intelligently organized formats,” according to a company statement.
Baidu claims its chatbot can also provide “humanlike” responses to the user. In October, the company launched Ernie 4.0; its “most powerful” version of the chatbot since its inception in November 2022. The publication adds the software is capable of understanding, reasoning, and more.
Moreover, Baidu helps strengthen the S24’s real-time call translation feature alongside a version of Google’s Circle to Search, per The Verge.
The decision to drop Google could be due to Samsung’s continued disappearance from the Chinese smartphone market, CNBC adds. The Korean OEM reportedly did not make the list of top 5 phone manufacturers in the region, letting the number one spot slip away to Apple.
This has been a common trend for Samsung for quite a while as a report from 2019 showed the company underperformed in a few areas.
For consumers in other regions, Google’s AI model Gemini will be the backbone of Samsung’s Galaxy AI. The software boasts features like “Chat Assist” for live translations, similar to Google’s Magic Editor. Samsung’s previous teasers of the software informed users that its Galaxy AI would feature strong on-device capabilities alongside features only available through cloud-based services (requiring an internet connection).
Meanwhile, Samsung is preparing to bring Galaxy AI features to older phones (except the S22) and plans to begin charging users for it.
Good changes
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra continues to push the boundaries of Android phones with its brighter, flat display, and impressive speeds. The device is also among the first of Samsung’s “AI phones” as it’s powered by Galaxy AI. Such software provides the device with real-time call translations, a form of Magic Eraser, and even more on-device capabilities.