OnePlus joins the AI race with a new AI Eraser feature

OnePlus has announced the rollout of an all-new AI Eraser feature for its smartphones. This marks the company’s first foray into generative AI, powered by its proprietary large language model. OnePlus hints at a broader OnePlus AI suite in the works, promising more AI-driven features to come.

Google first introduced this type of AI-powered editing with its Magic Eraser feature, initially exclusive to their Pixel devices but now available to users with a Google One subscription. Samsung gave us its version of AI-powered photo manipulation with the Galaxy AI suite, which was introduced alongside the Galaxy S24 series.

OnePlus AI Eraser works similarly, allowing users to highlight unwanted elements like people, objects, or blemishes from their photos within the Photo Gallery app. The feature’s underlying AI then analyzes the selection and intelligently replaces it with a contextually appropriate background.

The AI Eraser feature will begin a gradual rollout in April, arriving on select OnePlus devices, including the OnePlus 12, OnePlus 12R, OnePlus 11, OnePlus Open, and OnePlus Nord CE 4 for now. The feature will be delivered via an Oxygen OS update that updates the stock Photos gallery app and grants it the AI Erase feature.

We’ve asked OnePlus to confirm whether the AI Eraser is an on-device AI feature or if it requires an internet connection, but the company hasn’t responded to our question as of publication. However, through our own OnePlus AI Eraser hands-on, we’ve learned that the feature requires an internet connection to work.

Nevertheless, as more manufacturers race to integrate AI capabilities on their phones, it raises a pivotal question: are we on the verge of a future where subscription models are essential to unlock the full potential of our smartphones?