Subscription fatigue: AI phone features will soon cost us. Why wasn't I sold?

Over the past year and a half, phone makers like Google, Apple, and Samsung have explored many ways to incorporate artificial intelligence into their mobile offerings. Google has woven its Gemini AI tool into everything from messages to photos. Apple launched its suite of Apple Intelligence features, including a smart Siri and ChatGPT integration. And Samsung announced Galaxy AI, its family of functions to simplify tasks like image editing and message translation.

But beyond all the shiny announcements and promises about how AI can elevate your mobile experience, there's a fine print: You'll have to pay for these features someday if you want to keep using them. Will have to.

On its website, Samsung says its Galaxy AI features will be “delivered for free on supported Samsung Galaxy devices until the end of 2025.” According to Bloomberg's Mark Gorman, Apple eventually plans to charge for some of its AI-powered iPhone features. And to take advantage of Gemini's full power over Google's apps, you'll need to pay a monthly subscription fee (though Pixel owners get free access to photo AI features like Magic Editor).

All this comes at a time when subscription fatigue is reaching fever pitch. An April CNET study found that US adults spend an average of $91 per month on subscription services. Two-thirds of respondents said at least one of their subscriptions had a price increase within the past year. This burnout has forced many people to pull the plug on various services. In fact, nearly a quarter of American consumers have canceled three or more streaming services in the past two years, The New York Times reports.

Piling on yet another monthly fee is less than appealing to many, myself included. Between the many subscriptions I already pay to streaming, cloud storage and delivery services, the last thing I'm inclined to do is sign up for yet another recurring cost – especially for flashy AI features. For those I'm not yet convinced are necessary.

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For example, tools like Sketch to Image on the latest Galaxy S phones are impressive, but how often would I really want to convert a drawing to an image? Using Galaxy AI, Gemini or Apple Intelligence to help write a message might be helpful for some, but I've always done a good draft of text on my own – that way it seems more real. And as much as I'd love to see more advanced smart assistants like Siri, I'm fine with an inferior experience if it means I don't have to pay to ask for the weather.

Tech companies now spend a large portion of their events touting the many new AI compatibility that powers their devices and features. But each keynote leaves me feeling more confused about the emerging tech's promises. Do I really need AI assist when drafting an email or making a grocery list on my phone?

And while the focus of Apple's latest Worldwide Developers Conference was the arrival of Apple Intelligence, I don't feel compelled to upgrade my iPhone 14 Pro to a new device just to access AI features. As long as I can take quality photos and videos, send texts to my friends and scroll through my favorite social media, I'm satisfied. I'm also definitely not at the point where I'm ready. payment To get AI boost on my iPhone or MacBook; To me, they work just fine without it all.

With subscription fatigue, it's at least fortunate that Samsung chose not to charge a monthly fee with its new Galaxy Ring Health Wearable (though you'll pay a pretty penny up front with that $400 starting price). ). But I hope more companies pay attention to our collective exhaustion, especially amid rising prices, including for gadgets. For example, the prices of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 increased by $100 compared to last year's models, as did the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as Apple eliminated the lower-priced 128GB storage option. . Many are already at the higher end of people's price points. Charging an additional monthly fee, among the many other costs associated with owning a smartphone, adds fuel to the fire.

Unless there is a more practical and definitive use for AI functions on our handsets, I'm good at bypassing the cost of the subscription as well as cutting-edge future features. I want to keep that money in my pocket – or, more likely, use it to pay another subscription fee that will surely arise.