Google announced the new Pixel 8 and 8 Pro today, and along with the new smartphones, Android 14 was released publicly, which has a lot of new features - including a new artificial intelligence wallpaper generator. The new AI wallpaper feature was originally announced at the Google I/O developer conference in May, which showcased the latest Android operating system and the ability to easily generate new backgrounds on Pixel devices using Google's text-to-image diffusion model.
You can start by selecting a category, such as Classic Art, and then manipulate the text fields to present different effects. In one example from Google, you could select the "Dreams" category, then describe a structure, a material, and a color, and end up with results like "house made of indigo plants," which would give you several pictures of greenery coverings, front doors, and purple-tinged structures.
Google says the generative AI wallpapers will come "first" to the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, so unfortunately most of us won't be able to use them at launch. However, Google's wording suggests that availability will gradually expand.
Generative AI wallpapers are just one of the many new highly customizable features in Android 14, along with lock screen customization that lets you choose different fonts and colors, situational widgets (like a weather widget that stands out when a storm approaches), and even monochromatic themes.
Android has always been ahead of iOS when it comes to visual customization options, but making the system look the way you want is no easy task. Now, in Android 14, Google seems to be taking a page from Apple's lead and making personalization easier to achieve.
Android 14 is now available on supported Pixel devices and will be available later this year on select devices from Samsung Galaxy, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo and Xiaomi.