Andy Walker / Android Authority
Google has pumped out so many AI products in recent years that I’d need my fingers, toes, and the digits of several other people to keep count. Its current public-facing headliner is Gemini, which also doubles as its virtual assistant on its myriad products. But, if you’re willing to lift its development rock to peek at the creepy crawlies beneath, you’ll find AI Edge Gallery.
Hidden away on GitHub — where few Google-made products have ever resided — AI Edge Gallery gives early adopters a taste of fully downloaded AI models that can be run entirely on the phone. To uncover why Google banished this app beyond the Play Store and what it can actually do, I took up my Pixel and downloaded it. Here’s what I discovered.
What is Google AI Edge Gallery?
Andy Walker / Android Authority
First, let me provide details about what AI Edge Gallery is. The app allows users to download and run large language models (LLMs) on Android phones for offline use. Once downloaded, the LLMs don’t require an internet connection to crunch queries, which makes AI Edge Gallery, in theory, very handy in isolated situations. At present, the app offers four LLMs ranging in size and skill. It also splits these up into three suggestions for using them: Ask Image, Prompt Lab, and AI Chat.
AI Edge Gallery allows users to download LLMs that can be used for offline prompt processing right on your phone.
These categories are largely self-descriptive, but they do explain what to expect from AI Edge Gallery. You can use these models to ask questions about images, engage in simple chats as you would with Gemini or ChatGPT, and use prompts for “single-turn use cases.”
Installation and setup are a pain, but the app is slick and smooth There’s a good reason why AI Edge Gallery isn’t on the Play Store. The setup is an absolute pain, even if the app is buzzy and feels like a Google-made product.
Once you grab the app off GitHub and install it, you’ll need to install the individual models you wish to try. However, before this, you’ll need to create a Hugging Face account — the site that hosts the models — and acknowledge several user agreements. This includes one on the AI Edge Gallery app itself, another on Hugging Face, and finally, Google’s own Gemma Access Request form.
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