Google Pixel 9a Reportedly Runs Smaller Gemini Nano LLM, Misses Out on AI Features Due to RAM Constraints

Google Pixel 9a debuted on Wednesday as the newest addition to the corporate’s inexpensive “a” collection lineup. To obtain a cheaper price tag, the cellphone sacrifices among the options seen within the flagship Pixel 9 fashions. While the Pixel 9a nonetheless provides synthetic intelligence (AI) capabilities powered by Google’s massive language mannequin (LLM), a report suggests {that a} decrease 8GB RAM forces the handset to run a smaller model of Gemini Nano in comparison with its flagship counterparts.

Smaller Gemini Model on the Google Pixel 9a

The Google Pixel 9a is powered by the identical Tensor G4 SoC as different Pixel 9 fashions however with a decrease 8GB of RAM. Due to this limitation, the Mountain View-based expertise big has applied a brand new LLM to energy the cellphone’s AI options. Google reportedly confirmed to ArsTechnica that the brand new Pixel 9a runs Gemini Nano 1.0 XXS (further further small) LLM in a bid to avoid wasting assets and mitigate points associated to native AI processing attributable to reminiscence constraints.

Unlike its flagship counterparts, the LLM doesn’t repeatedly run within the background on the Pixel 9a. Instead, the cellphone solely hundreds it when required. The report provides that this may increasingly trigger some options to be a bit much less responsive.

However, a extra regarding issue is that the LLM doesn’t have multimodality, which means it will probably solely course of text-based instructions. As per the report, this raises doubts over the supply of a number of multimodal options such because the Pixel Screenshots app, which is claimed to be unavailable on the cellphone. The app, launched alongside the Pixel 9 collection final yr, retrieves info from saved screenshots on the gadget and supplies the consumer with question responses. The report suggests it might not be out there on Google’s newest inexpensive handset.

Another notable omission is Call Notes, which is an AI-powered characteristic leveraging Gemini Nano to mechanically generate summaries of calls. Since it requires audio processing, the characteristic might not be out there on the Pixel 9a. While the aforementioned options could also be lacking, one that may certainly be out there on the handset is Recorder Summaries. As the title suggests, the characteristic transcribes audio recording and supplies a abstract of the identical.

However, you will need to notice that not one of the options which might be reported to be lacking on the Google Pixel 9a have been formally confirmed as such by the corporate.