The Video Boost feature is seen as a glimpse into the future where AI on phones works in tandem with AI in the cloud. While some functions that currently require cloud processing may eventually move onto devices as on-device AI capabilities improve, the distinction between what a phone and a cloud server can do is expected to blur. This shift in how we perceive our phone's capabilities is seen as significant, even if it's not as dramatic as the introduction of the Night Sight feature.
Key takeaways:
- Google's Pixel 8 Pro has a feature called Video Boost with Night Sight that uses AI to enhance the quality of videos, especially in low-light conditions. However, this processing takes place in the cloud on Google's servers, not on the phone itself.
- Video Boost works on videos up to ten minutes long, but the processing can take hours. The results vary depending on the lighting conditions, with the most noticeable improvements in medium-low indoor lighting.
- Video Boost uses a different processing pipeline that retains more image data, similar to the relationship between RAW and JPEG files. The temporary files used for this process can be several gigabytes in size, but the final boosted videos are much smaller.
- While some may see Video Boost as a temporary solution that will eventually move on-device, Google views the cloud as an integral part of the AI capabilities of its devices. In the future, more functions will be handled by a combination of on and off-device AI, blurring the distinction between what a phone and a cloud server can do.