Google previously caused considerable backlash when it hinted that the Pixel 8 would not come with a Gemini Nano, thereby prohibiting its base smartphone from using on-device AI features. However, it recently reversed course, saying it would actually bring AI capabilities to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. Now, reports suggest that the Gemini Nano may launch on the Pixel 8 soon. The AI features themselves don't appear to be available yet, but the options to enable them are, so it's best to lay the groundwork before launch. These features are actually already rolling out.
While many updates to devices may automatically enable new features by default, the Pixel 8's Gemini Nano feature needs to be enabled. That's because the functionality the Nano will offer isn't technically activated on the device's chip yet. To fix this, Google has now added a switch that turns Gemini on, but you have to access the Android AICore feature on your phone to set it up.
How to activate Gemini on Pixel 8
To activate Gemini on Pixel 8, you first need to enable developer settings. To do this, navigate to Settings > About phone and find the build number in the list (near the bottom).
Click the version number seven times. You should see a popup saying Developer Mode is enabled.
To activate Gemini on Pixel 8, navigate to Settings > System > Developer Options > AICore Settings .
If you have a toggle available on your phone, it should appear as an option in the list that reads "Enable Gemini features on your device ."
Click the switch to turn it on, and you've activated the Gemini feature.
So what exactly does it do? Unfortunately, right now it doesn't really do anything. Google hasn't released any on-device Gemini features to the Pixel 8 yet, so we'll need to wait for Google to add them to the device in future Android feature drops — speaking of which, Google just dropped 8 new features in May.
This switch doesn't appear to have any effect until the Gemini feature is actually released. However, enabling it will prepare your device for any future feature releases in advance.
