Best AI smartphones you can buy in 2025

AI has been all the rage ever since ChatGPT came into existence way back in 2022. There’s Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Co-pilot, Anthropic’s Claude, and many more tools. These user-specific applications aim to help in our day-to-day lives, whether you need quick information, solve a complex problem, or make diet/travel plans. While they can be used on the web as well as smartphones, there are advanced AI features based on the large-language models from companies like Google and Apple. 

Google has been at the forefront of the AI revolution with Gemini. Apple has its own Apple Intelligence whereas Samsung comes with Galaxy AI. They are capable of performing complex and broader tasks on the device locally rather than relying on cloud servers. This is because of the integration of LLM models by OEMs on their respective devices. LLM models have their own set of advantages – faster response times, enhanced privacy, improved efficiency, the ability to run the task without a network, etc.

Best AI phones in 2025

Google’s Gemini Nano which is its smallest AI model is quite popular among some latest Android flagships. There are plenty of phones that are AI-ready in 2025. Considering the convenience that AI features offer, there’s absolutely no reason why you should not get a smartphone that is compatible with future technology. Here’s a guide to choosing the best AI phones in 2025. 

ALSO READ: Google Gemini: A tutorial for beginners

1. Google Pixel 9

2. Samsung Galaxy S25

3. iPhone 16

4. OnePlus 13

5. Google Pixel 8a

1. Google Pixel 9

With Google leading the AI race, the Pixel 9 undoubtedly gets the first preference in receiving the new features. Notably, the search giant’s latest phones come with 1-year free Gemini Advanced even when the Nano version is present on the device. This means that they are capable of performing even comprehensive tasks.

Regardless, the Tensor G4-powered SoC on the Pixel 9 series get various features like Pixel Studio image generator, recalling information with Pixel Screenshots, AI weather reports, and the ability to create summaries of phone calls. The Pixel 9 lineup’s camera also gets AI goodies. These include add me, reimagining photos in Magic Editor, and more.

2. Samsung Galaxy S25 series

The latest-generation Samsung Galaxy S25 series supports Gemini Nano. However, the company’s Galaxy AI brings plenty of features including Now Brief – a personalised daily digest providing you with tailored information such as to-do lists, traffic and weather updates, sleep scores, reminders etc.

The phones also get call transcripts and summaries, improved circle to search, writing and drawing assist, and an audio magic eraser to cut any background noise. The S25 series also ships with Gemini Live. 

3. iPhone 16 series

Apple has been quite slow to adopt AI and the company’s Apple Intelligence features are yet to roll out entirely to its compatible iPhone 16 series. Still, if you’re an Apple loyalist, the iPhone 16 should catch up in the AI race in the coming months. The device has already received features like writing tools, priority notifications, summarisation of emails, web pages, audio recordings, and ChatGPT integration. There’s also Image Playground that lets you create custom images and genmoji with descriptions.

The next massive iOS 18 update is expected to include an overhaul to Siri that will introduce natural interaction and awareness of personal context. What this means is that it will be able to use its knowledge to capture and help find what you’re looking for, eg – calendar events, flight details, a recipe you added in notes etc. 

4. OnePlus 13

The OnePlus 13, also a newly launched flagship, can run Google’s smallest Gemini Nano model. Although, at the moment, its feature only includes Magic Compose in Google Messages, the device comes with OnePlus’s proprietary AI goodies. This includes Intelligent Search which offers information from on-device files and notes.

It also has a Circle to Search feature for performing search results without switching apps. The smartphone’s camera also gets the AI treatment with detail boost, unblur, and reflection eraser.

5. Google Pixel 8a

If you’re on a shoestring budget but still need cutting-edge AI features, then take a look at the Google Pixel 8a. The mid-range smartphone is capable of running the Gemini Nano on-device model. Hence, it borrows most of the AI goodies from the Pixel 9 series that is mentioned above. Apart from this, the phone comes with a 120Hz display, 64MP camera, Tensor G3 SoC, and 7 years of OS updates.

The aforementioned smartphones have embraced AI and integrated the features into various aspects of our daily usage. On-device AI will only continue to become better with more features making them smarter, faster, and more efficient.