AI hype has just about reached saturation point, but how useful is artificial intelligence in real life? That's a question I set out to answer on a recent vacation – and it changed my view for good.
Until now, I was skeptical – and that was despite owning an iPhone 15 Pro, which has Apple Intelligence features built in. I'd just never felt like I needed the services to get through my day – and, of course, I don't, the same way none of us need a phone; it just makes some things a whole lot easier.
For TechRadar's new 'AI Planned It' series on our YouTube channel (please like and subscribe, etc.), two colleagues and I took three AI phones – the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro – away with us on vacation to Madeira.
Our mission? To try as many of the AI features available on all three phones in a variety of live tests.
From translation to photography, writing to research, we used AI on our phones for pretty much everything on our four-day trip, which you can watch unfold in the video below.
My biggest takeaway wasn't about which phone was best – though, as a competitive person, I have to argue that my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra reigned supreme.
Nor was it the fact that a week with an Android phone was enough to tempt me away from iOS, even after 15 years of being an iPhone user.
No, it was the fact that I grew to accept that AI is pretty darn useful, and not just when I'm too lazy to figure something out for myself.
The likes of Gemini Live and ChatGPT-bolstered Siri are fantastic learning tools, albeit flawed and occasionally incorrect in low-digital footprint destinations such as Madeira. For videographers and photographers, meanwhile, each of the phones offers powerful editing tools that can really elevate your vacation snaps.
Not all AI tools are made equal, of course, and the writing tools just felt superfluous to me. Then again, my job involves writing every day – for others they may be far more helpful.
The point is, there's likely an AI tool on your phone already that could come in super handy, and if you're not using it yet, now might be a good moment to watch our video, see what's on offer and try it out for yourself.
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