AI is coming to your smartphone whether you like it or not. This week it’s the turn of Google to launch a slew of new updates to its Gemini artificial intelligence assistant for Android phones, and if you own a Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phone you might be able to access one of the newest tools for free.

That’s the catch for other Android users - the new roll out of Gemini’s camera-based features are mostly only for those Google customers who subscribe to Gemini Advanced, an £18.99 per month optional subscription that used to simply add more cloud storage, but now offers access to AI tools for Android users on most modern devices.

If you pay for 2TB or more Google Cloud storage it means you actually already have Gemini Advanced, and if you have an Android phone you’ll be able to use Gemini Live Camera & Screen Sharing, a new mode that lets you have a free-flowing conversation with AI.

Available in 45 different languages, the mode lets you snap a picture or use live video from your camera to show the AI the scene in front of you and then ask it questions.

I tested this out by showing Gemini a photo of my record player set up and asking how it could be tidier. The response came back in clear English and a voice that sounded much more conversational than previous generations of AI, and indeed more naturalistic than Apple’s Siri. It also schooled me on symmetry and cable management, to which I say fair play.

Google gives some other examples of what you could ask using your camera, including brainstorming a creative project, fixing a squeaky chair, getting shopping advice or to get feedback on your latest blog post.

Some of these feel a little experimental and you’ll have to see if you trust the sort of answers a disembodied voice will give you, but I will admit when testing I found it more impressive than I expected to.

While most will have to pay for Gemini Advanced to get these tools, Google says Gemini Live Camera & Screen Sharing will be available to anyone with a Google Pixel 9 or Samsung Galaxy S25 phone with the Gemini app installed. This means if you have a Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus or Galaxy S25 Ultra you can start using Camera & Screen Sharing right now for free.

Google's rollout of Gemini has been quite fast. You might have noticed the Google Assistant brand and app all but disappear, and this is no accident. You can access these new Live features for free if you have one of these new phones, but otherwise Google charges for access to most Gemini tools via its £18.99 per month Gemini Advanced subscription.