OnePlus Unveils Personalized AI Features for Next-Gen Phones

In the fiercely competitive smartphone market, integrating artificial intelligence has become essential. OnePlus, though a bit late to the AI integration party, has now unveiled its personalized AI strategy centered around a new tool called Plus Mind and a content hub named Mind Space.

Plus Mind acts as an intelligent assistant that can save, suggest, store, and search information based on what’s currently displayed on your phone screen. It automatically organizes important details like event reservations by proposing calendar entries, helping users manage their fragmented digital memories.

Mind Space serves as the centralized hub where all saved content lives, enabling natural language search and automatic translation to break down language barriers and reduce information overload. This approach aims to streamline how users interact with and retrieve their data.

The AI features debut on the OnePlus 13S, specifically designed for the Asian market, featuring a dedicated AI button called the Plus Key. For users in the US and Europe, these features will arrive later as an over-the-air update to the OnePlus 13, though the exact timeline remains unconfirmed.

Testing revealed that activating Plus Mind without the dedicated button can be tricky, requiring a precise three-finger swipe gesture. While event creation and natural language search performed well, the AI currently lacks the ability to summarize entire articles or automatically categorize saved content, which could be improved in future updates.

OnePlus leverages Google's Gemini AI and Qualcomm's top-tier chips, allowing it to build on existing AI capabilities while adding unique features to differentiate its phones. This positions OnePlus alongside competitors like Nothing, which offers a similar content hub called Essential Space.

Looking Ahead: OnePlus’ Three-Stage AI Strategy

OnePlus plans a phased rollout of AI capabilities. The next stage involves integrating a large language model into Plus Mind to create a personalized AI persona that understands user habits and offers insights, potentially revealing surprising or enlightening information about the user.

The final stage envisions a full AI agent acting as a personal assistant with comprehensive knowledge about the user, though this remains a future goal.

Additional AI Features on the Horizon

OnePlus is also developing AI VoiceScribe, which summarizes WhatsApp, Snapchat, or Telegram calls, and an AI Call Assistant offering real-time translation during calls. These will initially launch in India before expanding elsewhere.

On the creative side, AI Best Face 2.0 enhances group photos by correcting facial expressions, while AI Reframe suggests better cropping and framing for casual shots. These photo tools are expected to arrive on OnePlus phones this summer.

OnePlus’ cautious yet forward-thinking approach to AI integration highlights the importance of balancing innovation with usability. While the initial rollout may not revolutionize AI on smartphones, it sets a solid foundation for more sophisticated, personalized AI experiences in the near future.