Consumers warned to brace for AI smartphone revolution

The world’s greatest smartphone maker has unveiled its first handset powered by generative synthetic intelligence software program, in a transfer Samsung says will usher in “a brand new AI period” for the expertise.

The South Korean tech large launched its flagship Galaxy S24 telephones at an occasion in San Jose on Thursday, Australian time, revealing units with a set of AI photo-editing, translation and web search instruments.

Business consultants predicted the launch would kick off a development in AI smartphones however warned customers would want constant warnings to point out when the expertise had been used and guarantee they weren’t misled.

The launch got here simply someday after the federal authorities launched its Protected and Accountable AI interim report, which outlined plans to develop a voluntary customary to label AI content material.

Samsung’s newest smartphones are the primary to advertise AI instruments, which Samsung Australia cell expertise director Eric Chou mentioned confirmed it felt customers have been able to embrace the expertise.

“We imagine that is the brand new AI period,” he advised AAP.

“Everybody’s now fairly snug with the idea of AI so we’re successfully ramping up the providers we provide customers.”

The three new smartphones, to be launched on February 7 and priced from $1399, will characteristic AI image-editing software program permitting customers to maneuver or delete topics and artificially add backgrounds, in addition to AI translations for dwell telephone calls, and a brand new visible Google search characteristic.

As a safeguard, Mr Chou mentioned the telephones would add a watermark and metadata report to digital gadgets created utilizing AI, together with edited images and AI-generated summaries and transcripts.

“The safeguard is fairly clear for us – something that’s edited may have a watermark,” he mentioned.

“Proper now it isn’t regulated however at some stage it will likely be so we have taken a forward-leaning stance that we do wish to guarantee something that’s not a part of a human interplay is named out.”

College of NSW AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh mentioned customers ought to count on many extra AI-powered smartphones to launch this yr as firms search to catch as much as innovation in different elements of the trade.

However he mentioned the event of a normal AI label can be essential to assist keep belief in digital images and movies, although they might be 5 to 10 years away.

“Digital watermarks are going to turn out to be rather more essential however they’re comparatively simple to get round now,” he mentioned.

“In the long run, digital watermarks will likely be constructed into the {hardware} of our units, which goes to make harder for individuals to get round them.”

Digital labels have been addressed within the authorities’s AI report on Wednesday, which named the event of “voluntary labelling and watermarking of AI-generated supplies” as one in all its instant priorities.

Tech Council of Australia chief government Kate Pounder welcomed the event of watermarking requirements and mentioned many tech corporations have been eager to play a task in introducing safeguards.

“There are a variety of firms, from Adobe to Google and others, who’re already introducing these applied sciences simply as Samsung is doing,” she mentioned.

“It is good to see authorities and trade working collectively to begin to formalise how it will work.”

The reporter travelled to San Jose as a visitor of Samsung.