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Generative AI phones have become ubiquitous in our lives, but they are not without their limitations. The design and functionality of these devices have not changed much in the last decade, and they rely heavily on third-party apps that may compromise our privacy and security. Is there a better way to interact with our phones?
That is the question that Jerry Yue, the founder and CEO of Brain.ai (also known as Brain Technologies), wants to answer. He has developed a new operating system for smartphones that uses generative AI as the core of its interface. Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can create new content or data based on existing information, such as images, text, or speech.
Advancements in Generative AI for Smartphones
Yue believes that generative AI phone is the future of smartphones, and he is not alone. Several tech giants, such as Samsung, Google, and Apple, are also exploring the potential of generative AI to enhance their devices.
For example, Samsung recently launched its Galaxy S21 series, which features a generative AI camera that can produce realistic and artistic photos and videos. Google has invested heavily in its Gemini project, which aims to create a generative AI assistant that can converse naturally and intelligently with users. Apple is also expected to join the generative AI race later this year, with rumors of a new iPhone that will incorporate the technology.
However, Yue claims that his generative AI phone goes beyond what these companies are offering. He says that his operating system, which is built on top of the Android kernel, is not just a collection of features, but a radical shift in the way we use our phones. Instead of having a fixed and static interface, his generative AI phone creates a dynamic and personalized interface for each user, based on their queries and preferences.
How does it work? Yue explains that the generative AI phone starts with a blank screen, and then responds to the user’s voice or text input with a customized interface. For instance, if the user asks for a gift recommendation for their grandmother, the generative AI phone will generate a page with relevant e-commerce results, such as blankets and Kindles.
Enhanced Functionality and Versatility of the Generative AI Phone
The user can then modify the query, tap on an image to add it to a shopping cart, or check out from the third-party site. The generative AI phone can pull data from over 7,000 retail sites, and allow the user to prioritize results by factors such as retailer and business size.
Shopping is just one example of what the generative AI phone can do. Yue says that his operating system can handle any type of query, from entertainment to education, and create an appropriate interface for it. The generative AI phone can also use the camera to perform tasks such as translating menus, recommending dishes, or generating images. For example, Yue demonstrated how the generative AI phone can create a pair of magenta sneakers with a simple request.
One of the key advantages of the generative AI phone is that it does not require any third-party apps. Yue says that this is a deliberate choice, as he wants to give users more control over their privacy and security. He argues that most apps today are black boxes that exploit our attention and data and that we need more explainable AI that can justify its recommendations and actions. He also says that his generative AI phone can do more with less, as it does not need a lot of hardware resources to run.
Of course, the generative AI phone is not perfect, and it has some limitations and challenges. One of them is the dependency on connectivity, as the generative AI processing is done off-device. Yue says that this is necessary to ensure the quality and speed of the interface, but it also means that the generative AI phone may lose some functionality when offline.
He also says that he is working on adding some on-device processing, but he could not confirm the details. Another challenge is the adaptability of the generative AI phone, as it needs to learn from the user’s feedback and preferences and improve its interface over time. Yue says that his team of 100 people is constantly working on refining the generative AI model and that it can also leverage third-party models from OpenAI and Google when needed.
Yue’s Entrepreneurial Journey and Partnerships for the Generative AI Phone
Yue has been working on the generative AI phone since 2015 when he founded Brain in the Bay Area. He is the sole founder of the company, and he hired a CTO in 2016. He was born in China, and he has a background in robotics and social apps. He participated in the RoboCup robotic soccer tournament, and he founded Friendoc, a Chinese social app, at 18. He also co-founded Benlai.com, one of the largest food delivery apps in China, at 20. He has raised $80 million for Brain so far.
Yue is ready to launch his generative AI phone to the world, and he has partnered with Deutsch Telekom to do so. He says that his operating system will be available on the T-Mobile REVVL device in the US, and the T Phone device in the EU, soon. He did not reveal the exact model, release date, or nature of the deal, but he says that his generative AI phone is designed to be hardware-agnostic and that it can adapt to any form factor.
The generative AI phone is a bold and ambitious vision for the smartphone industry, and it could transform the way we interact with our devices. It is also a timely and relevant innovation, as the demand for generative AI is growing rapidly. Whether it will succeed or not remains to be seen, but it is certainly worth watching.
