MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — Google unveiled the next generation of its Pixel phones on Tuesday, giving the Android software maker a head start on the next iPhone in the race to bring more artificial intelligence services to devices that have become people’s constant companions.

The presentation, near Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, came two months earlier than the company usually unveils the next models in its Pixel phone line, which debuted eight years ago.

Although Pixel phones still make up a small portion of global smartphone sales, they are nonetheless closely watched because they serve as a platform for Google to demonstrate the latest advances in the Android operating system, which runs on virtually all non-Apple phones.

And Google left little doubt that the Pixel 9 phones are intended to serve as the vehicle for AI technology that will fundamentally change the way people live and work, just as smartphones in general have done over the past 15 years.

“We are obsessed with the idea that AI can make people’s lives easier and more productive,” Rick Osterloh, a senior vice president at Google who is responsible for the Pixel phones, said Tuesday.

This is similar to the theme that Apple emphasizes as It is preparing to put AI at the heart of the iPhone.

That moment is expected to come shortly after Labor Day, when Apple traditionally unveils its next iPhone. The next model, the iPhone 16, is expected to be a big draw because it will come with the special chip needed to perform a number of AI functions. These features are designed to make Apple’s virtual assistant Siri smarter and perform a variety of other tasks that the company promises will make people’s lives more convenient while protecting their privacy.

But Apple’s plans for artificial intelligence are even more unclear than Google’s vision. Google also wants to introduce the technology more widely, including on Samsung phones with the Android operating system, says Emarketer analyst Grace Harmon. That could increase pressure on Apple when the company unveils the next iPhone next month.

Not surprisingly, the Pixel 9 series is also packed with AI technology, a development that Google began last October when this year’s model was released. This generation of phones will be the first to focus on about Gemini technology This has become the focus of his foray into artificial intelligence.

Much like Apple is aiming for with Siri, Google has designed its Gemini assistant to be more conversational, offering a choice of 10 different human-like voices, and it can handle even more tasks, especially if users are willing to give it access to emails and other documents.

In another move inspired by Apple, Google is equipping the Pixel 9 series with a special chip that allows many AI-powered services to be run on the device instead of in remote data centers. The aim is to improve user privacy and security.

During on-stage demonstrations on Tuesday, the Gemini assistant with the voice “Ursa” was able to suggest helpful ideas for a fun way to use invisible ink when asked to come up with creative ideas.

But the Gemini Assistant also stumbled when he was shown a poster of singer Sabrina Carpenter and asked when she would be performing in the area. After receiving no response to the first two requests, the Gemini Assistant provided the requested information.

The Pixel 9 phones will also feature the “Magic Editor,” an AI technology that can completely transform images by quickly and seamlessly adding a person who wasn’t in the original photo, or by changing the landscape or background of the photo.

The more advanced Gemini Assistant requires a $20 monthly subscription, which is free for a year for anyone who buys the next Pixel 9 phones. It will begin shipping on Aug. 22 before becoming generally available next month. The $240 advantage Google offers with a free one-year subscription to its Gemini Advanced service makes it more likely that Apple won’t be able to charge for its suite of AI services, Emarketer’s Harmon said.

The standard Pixel 9 will sell for $800, up $100 from last year, while the Pixel 9 Pro will cost $1,000 or $1,100 depending on the size. The next generation of foldable Pixel phone that Google introduced last year will sell for $1,800.

The event also signaled that Google intends to continue its business as usual, even if its Internet empire is threatened by the recent decision of a judge and declared its dominant search engine an illegal monopoly.

The landmark ruling will trigger another round of court battles to determine the actions Google must take to create a more competitive market – a process that could result in Google being barred from certain deals or, in the most drastic case, being ordered to spin off its Android software or abandon other key pillars that underpin the nearly $2 trillion market value of its parent company, Alphabet Inc.

In addition to its latest phones, Google has also targeted several other popular Apple products with its upcoming Pixel Watch and wireless earbuds.