I’m convinced we’re going to reach a point in the near future where the tables turn on AI, when its presence in the products we buy stops being a selling point, and its absence becomes one instead.
It won’t be a total reversal, and AI won’t go away, but a distinct split is coming, and the shift may be as influential as AI’s initial arrival.
The backlash will come
And has already started
Technology brands are almost universally using AI as a major selling point at the moment.
It’s everywhere and in everything, as companies continue to try to recoup massive research and development investments, and avoid appearing as if they’re somehow behind the curve by not incorporating as much AI as possible.
Take Samsung’s Galaxy AI as an example of what’s happening and why it’s not working. Introduced in 2024 with the Galaxy S24, Galaxy AI is the umbrella term for Samsung’s many AI features, from translations and writing tools to photo editing and the Now Brief.
Following the introduction of the Galaxy S26 series, it was clear Samsung had hit a wall with Galaxy AI, as the updates centered around small changes, refinements, and on-device updates.
It’s understandable, but it also shows how few places there are left for Samsung to go with its AI.
People are starting to realize that outside of chat duties, AI features aren’t all that useful every day.
I’ve been wearing the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) smart glasses for a month, and they’re packed full of AI features I never really find a reason to use.
When features aren’t useful, they get forgotten, and demand for them takes an instant hit.
AI also continues to suffer from a reputational problem. Whether it’s an unsustainable circular economy, links to systems used by the military for targeting in war zones, deepfakes aiding scammers, slop being weaponized in political campaigns, or chatbots accused of encouraging self-harm, the good side of AI is often overshadowed by its seedier, problematic side.
It’s not going away
But it may get sidelined
We’re still in the early days of AI, and the amount of money and effort being put into its advancement means it won’t go away. Nor should it. AI can be useful, helpful, and fun.
The more companies and brilliant minds get involved, the more interesting AI’s future should become, as it’s shaped and refined.
However, this will take time, and the damage to AI through uninspired, cookie-cutter features and shocking business practices has already been done.
A fork in the road is therefore being approached, with AI devices in one direction and devices without AI in the other. The roads will run in parallel, and freedom of choice will return to mobile tech.
“Without AI” has the potential to become an important selling point. In the same way, “Intel Inside,” “Made for iPhone,” or “Works with Alexa” are crucial marketing messages helping you make sensible buying decisions, stripping away AI either completely or almost completely, then telling you about it, will do the same.
I’m not talking about devices where AI has no reasonable place, such as in headphones, and I’m not talking about a further return to retro tech like vinyl, cassettes, dumb phones, or a notepad and paper either. I’m also not referring to splinter products like security-focused smartphones or minimalist devices.
I think we’ll see AI reduced in products where it is overused right now, such as in smartphones, tablets, PCs, and wearables, and then promoted as a selling point.
Phone cameras will strip back AI enhancements, and instead push “natural” and “realistic” photo performance. On-device assistants will do the basics. Messaging apps won’t suggest replies, and by default, the power key will turn the phone on and off when you press it.
We may see devices where all the AI features are presented to you during setup, and you can select which ones will be available on the phone, just like we’re given the choice of browsers and search engines now. It’ll be there if we want it, but entirely optionally.
AI won’t be the key selling point. Not having AI, or choosing the AI you want, will be.
Something like it is already starting to happen
But not in mobile tech
There’s already evidence of something similar happening in another industry.
If you’ve driven a car made over the last six or so years, you’ll know how the interior is dominated by screens and haptic controls, all with varying degrees of uselessness.
All this was introduced to make car interiors appear more modern and to save money. Screens and software are cheaper than buttons and switches, and much easier to integrate across multiple models.
Unfortunately, they’re almost universally rubbish and never provide a tactile, high-quality, logical, or easy-to-understand experience.
The world’s best manufacturers are starting to understand, and physical controls are making a comeback.
Whether it’s affordable cars with buttons and knobs to adjust temperature and airflow, luxury brands like Bugatti and bespoke carmakers like Singer making beautiful physical control and instrument systems, or the Jony Ive-designed dashboard for the Ferrari Luce, touchscreens and haptics aren’t seen as the only way forward in the same way as before.
They have their place and can make good sense, but not everyone wants them for everything.
The similarity with AI is obvious, and the automotive industry’s slow but marked shift may foreshadow what may be being quietly discussed behind closed doors in the mobile industry.
When will it happen?
And how much will it cost?
I think this is a case of when it will happen, not if. If there’s a bandwagon passing by, there are plenty of brands that are all too eager to jump aboard, willing to try something new to make money.
If brands can’t substantially top up their bank accounts with AI devices, why wouldn’t they try to recoup some money by removing AI features from a range of devices too?
We should remember there are enough people who want Google-free phones to support a fairly lively market, so why wouldn’t AI-free devices find an audience?
One concern is how much an AI-free phone would cost. Physical controls in cars are appearing more at the luxury end, and marketing types may quickly use an AI-free phone as an excuse to push prices up.
Are you reading this and thinking it could never happen? Cast your mind back to the early to mid-2010s, and the wave of Google Play Edition devices, which came with stock Android rather than the manufacturer’s interface, and included the Galaxy S4, HTC One, and Moto G.
Looking back, this was a pretty wild, but necessary move for the industry at the time. Suddenly, a forked AI-free version of the Galaxy S27 or S28 isn’t entirely beyond the realms of possibility.
