The Google Pixel 9 could launch with an AI sticker creation tool to rival Apple's Genmoji

Google Pixel 8 review front angled squared
The Google Pixel 8 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

As expected, Apple went big on AI at WWDC 2024, announcing a wealth of new AI tools and features that are coming to its devices. Among those upcoming features is Genmoji, an AI-powered emoji creator, and it looks like the Google Pixel 9 might launch with a similar feature.

Android Authority has been digging around in the latest Android 15 beta and has found evidence of a feature called Creative Assistant, which could use AI to generate stickers, which you could then paste onto a screenshot or an image you’re editing.

You may also be able to simply paste a sticker into a chat, but there’s no evidence of that here – rather, Creative Assistant in its current form seems to rely on Google’s Markup app, which handles screenshot editing and image annotations.

Google Pixel 8 review back angled

It's unclear whether the Pixel 8 will get Creative Assistant (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Exclusive to Pixel, and maybe just the Pixel 9

In any case, it appears Creative Assistant will be exclusive to Pixel devices based on the code strings Android Authority has found, and the site theorizes that it might in fact be exclusive to the Pixel 9 line, since this seems like the sort of feature that Google might reserve for a new handset launch. But it’s still possible that, either at launch or later, it could come to other Pixel models.

Another thing the site is unsure of is whether Creative Assistant will use on-device processing to generate its stickers, or whether the feature will rely on the cloud. If the former, then it might actually require the more powerful Tensor G4 chipset we’re expecting in the Pixel 9 series.

Note also that while Google appears to be working on this Creative Assistant feature, it’s always possible that it won’t make the cut.

We might find out more in or around October, as that’s when we expect the Google Pixel 9 to launch – hopefully alongside this AI sticker creation tool.

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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