Why Google believes AI is the next front in the smartphone wars

Google's Android dominates the smartphone market overall, but Apple has attracted a disproportionate share of high-end users -- and consequently an outsize share of smartphone profits. At a Tuesday event, Google unveiled a two-pronged strategy to change that. Part one was the Pixel, the first smartphone that will be designed and manufactured by Google. Google is betting that building its own phone will allow it to offer the same kind of seamless user experience Apple provides its own users. But the second prong of Google's strategy is more original and received more attention on Tuesday.