Once upon a time, whenever a conversation involved AI on smartphones, it revolved around a specific feature on a certain device. Those days are long gone, as the AI buzzword is found in practically every smartphone released in the past couple of years. While the phrase might be an overused buzzword, the reality is that there is such a thing as the best AI phone.
These devices come in all shapes and sizes, and surprisingly aren’t just relegated to being the most expensive. The integration and implementation of AI into phones adds another dynamic of how OEMs can try to stand out from the pack.
At a glance
Best overall
Considering that Gemini is basically integrated into every phone on this list, that basically makes the Pixel 10 Pro the top choice by default. While true, it also helps that this is the best phone that Google has ever released.
2. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Best upgrade
Samsung hasn’t quite given up the goose on Bixby just yet, but with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it proved that leaning into its partnership with Google was the way to go. As a result, you get an ultra-powerful phone, paired with AI features from both Samsung and Google.
Best budget
If you want the best AI phone but are limited by your budget, fret not. The Galaxy A56 5G is an excellent choice packed with plenty of AI features, even if they might not be quite as robust as others on this list.
Best iPhone
Yes, you’re reading this right. The iPhone 17 Pro is the best AI phone for Apple fans, but it frankly has nothing to do with Siri. Apple went outside of the box a bit with Apple Intelligence, working with Google and OpenAI to bring AI to the iPhone.
5. Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)
Best foldable
The Razr Ultra might be a surprise to see for some, but this foldable phone offers more than just excellent performance and a premium design. There are a couple of inclusions that help it stand out from the rest.
Best alternative
Like the others, the OnePlus 13 leans Gemini to do much of the heavy AI lifting. However, OnePlus AI is also continuing to be developed and improved, resulting in a phone that can truly do it all.
Best overall
It’s difficult to consider any other option as the best AI phone when the Pixel 10 Pro embodies Google’s vision. At first glance, the Pixel 10 Pro is a bit unassuming, as it essentially looks like the Pixel 9 Pro, just with some new colors. But that couldn’t be further from the truth once you start using the phone, as there are at least twelve new AI-powered features on board.
As one would expect, Gemini powers all of these new features in some way, whether that be via the cloud or actually on the device. Some of these features are Magic Cue, Daily Hub, and Edit with Ask Photos, but as noted in our review, Magic Cue is really the standout here.
That’s because it’s essentially an assistant you don’t have to invoke to get help. Instead, you’ll notice new icons or buttons appearing when someone texts you about dinner plans, or if you get an email confirming an upcoming flight. It’s early days, but Magic Cue feels like we’re getting closer to the true meaning of a “digital assistant.”
But, as previously mentioned, this is just one of the many Gemini-powered features that are currently exclusive to Pixel phones. And what better way to get a taste of the future than with the latest and greatest phone that Google has to offer?
Best upgrade pick
For years, Samsung has somehow managed to pack more features into its phones than you can shake a stick at. And in recent years, that has extended to an ever-growing number of AI features found in every nook and cranny. No, it’s not mainly Bixby doing the work here, but instead, it’s a combination of Samsung’s own AI efforts paired with Google Gemini.
One of the coolest features of the Galaxy S25 Ultra is the ability to perform multiple actions with a single command. You can watch a YouTube video about basically anything, activate Gemini, ask it to summarize the video, and have the results saved in Samsung Notes. The same is true when creating calendar events or adding details to an existing one. While it might seem trivial, these features can really come in handy.
There are also features like Now Brief, which I previously dubbed “Google Now reincarnated.” Now Brief provides summaries throughout your day, highlighting calendar events, the weather, and even news headlines from topics you’re interested in. These “Briefs” are delivered periodically, and thanks to the power of the onboard AI, are great for providing reminders or giving you an idea of what the next day will bring.
Of course, there are even more AI-powered features, such as Audio Eraser, which removes background and unnecessary noise from a video with just the tap of a button. Not only that, but you can adjust the “EQ” levels, allowing you to make sure that whoever is talking is crystal clear.
Best budget
Who says you need to buy a flagship phone just to enjoy the fruits of labor that AI provides? Take the Galaxy A56 5G, for example, as it includes a slew of AI-powered features that Samsung has dubbed “Awesome Intelligence.”
This includes some expected features, such as Google’s Circle to Search, which makes it easier than ever to look up information about whatever’s on your phone’s screen. There’s even “Read Aloud” in the Samsung Internet app, which takes the text from an article and converts it to audio so you can listen instead of reading.
However, the Galaxy A56 is also chock-full of AI-enhanced photography and videography tools. Things like Object Eraser and Edit Suggestion help you get rid of those people in the background while adding a bit of bokeh effect to an image in no time. Then, there’s Auto Trim that analyzes videos you’ve recorded and chops them up into smaller “highlight videos” to share.
Best foldable
Admittedly, this title could be held by a few different phones, but Motorola’s Razr Ultra stood out due to the robust suite of AI features it includes under the “Moto AI” umbrella. Some of these, such as Circle to Search and Magic Editor, are already staples across many of the best Android phones.
But Motorola took things a step further with Image Studio for image generation and Playlist Studio for delivering generated music playlists. Not to mention that the Razr Ultra features a dedicated AI Key that invokes Moto AI without needing to do anything but long-press a button.
The AI Key isn’t the only unique AI feature of the Razr Ultra, as this is also the first time we’ve seen Perplexity partner with a smartphone company. As a result of the partnership announced in April 2025, Perplexity is pre-installed, and you’ll get three months of Perplexity Pro for free. This comes with a few different benefits, such as Deep Research and access to a variety of AI models.
While that might not seem like a big deal, considering that most phones “only” include access to Gemini or a company’s own AI features, it gives the Razr Ultra an edge over the rest. And while the implementation might not be as robust as Gemini, Perplexity has been integrated into Moto AI and offers much more than just operating as a replacement for Google.
Best iPhone
Before you grab the pitchforks, just hang tight. The iPhone is all you get when you’re in the Apple ecosystem, but that also means that you might think you’re just stuck with Siri for your “AI digital assistant.” Despite the fact that Siri is still living in the Stone Age, Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max offers a better experience than you might think.
Much of this is made possible through various partnerships that Apple has made in an effort to fill the massive gap between Siri and Gemini or Amazon Alexa. For instance, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is deeply integrated into iOS, allowing you to get more accurate results compared to relying solely on Siri.
Visual Intelligence is essentially Google’s Circle to Search, just wrapped in Apple’s divisive Liquid Glass UI. Just take a screenshot, highlight something on the screen, and get the answers that you need, all with a few taps.
While an argument can be made that you can just do the same things by downloading the ChatGPT and Google apps, technically, that’s true. However, these features are integrated into Apple Intelligence and iOS, as opposed to needing to download the specific apps to get similar functionality.
Best alternative
What if you want a flagship Android phone, but don’t want to pay flagship pricing? Don’t fret, as the OnePlus 13 is here and even garnered a perfect 5-star rating from AC’s own Nick Sutrich. It doesn’t just offer a great overall experience, but OnePlus AI provides access to an abundance of AI features that you might not have known you needed.
The biggest example of this is with OnePlus Mind Space, which consolidates important pictures, videos, events, and more into one app. Then, anything you add to Mind Space will appear whenever using the built-in AI search functionality, with the OnePlus 13 analyzing the query and providing relevant results and answers.
More recently, AI PlayLab was introduced, with OnePlus hoping to get feedback from its customers about potential upcoming AI features that are currently in development. The first two features included were YumSee and Party Up, with the former providing an AI translation of restaurant menus, and the latter being able to edit a picture and turn it into “live party-themed videos.”
All the while, the OnePlus 13 still offers one of the best smartphone experiences to date. Which we expect will continue once its successor, the OnePlus 15, is finally introduced and released.
How to choose
What’s the best AI phone?
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Deciding between these options when choosing the best AI phone wasn’t as easy as you might think. However, the easiest decision was to place the Pixel 10 Pro at the top, as it offers the most complete Gemini AI experience available. And when you consider that basically every other phone on this list integrates Gemini in some way, it makes the Pixel 10 Pro a no-brainer. Really, the only argument is whether the larger screen of the Pixel 10 Pro XL is better.
Beyond that, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is another obvious inclusion, as Samsung continues to implement its own spin on AI features. As such, it delivers a more robust package across the board when compared to the Pixel 10 Pro or even the OnePlus 13. Plus, the S25 Ultra spent most of 2025 as the best overall phone for many, and we suspect that its successor will quickly take over the reins.
However, it’s important to point out that not all of the best AI features are natively built into these phones. There are countless AI apps on the Play Store that can be quickly downloaded and make a lasting impact, all without needing to spend hundreds of dollars (or more). Sure, they’re not going to be implemented at a system level, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored, either.
