Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of the smartphone buying decision in India, but consumers are not simply looking for phones with an “AI” label. They increasingly want AI features that solve everyday problems.
A 2026 Counterpoint Research and Flipkart report found that 89% of users said AI features influence their smartphone purchase decisions. At the same time, performance, camera quality and reliability remain important factors.
Another Amazon India survey, based on more than 40,000 responses, found that 82% of smartphone buyers said AI features influence their purchasing decisions. However, performance and speed still ranked higher at 87%, followed by battery life at 79% and camera quality at 77%.
So, what AI features actually matter to buyers?
1. Contextual AI Assistance
Contextual assistance is becoming one of the most useful smartphone AI features.
According to Amazon India’s survey, 25% of respondents selected contextual assistance as their preferred AI capability. These features can understand what’s happening on the screen and provide relevant suggestions, searches or actions.
Instead of opening a separate app and manually searching, users can increasingly interact with information directly from the screen.
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2. AI Photo Editing
AI-powered photo editing is another major area of interest.
Modern smartphones can remove unwanted objects, improve images, change backgrounds and perform other edits using AI. Amazon’s survey found generative photo editing was the second-most preferred AI capability, selected by 18% of respondents.
This could be particularly useful for users who regularly create content for social media.
3. AI-Powered Camera Features
AI is also changing smartphone photography.
AI can help with image processing, scene recognition, portrait effects and other computational photography features. A MySmartPrice consumer report found AI camera enhancements were the most preferred AI feature among respondents, at 24.6%.
This means buyers may increasingly look beyond megapixel counts and consider how effectively a phone processes images.
4. Visual Search
Visual search allows users to search for information using an image or something visible through the phone’s camera.
Amazon’s survey found 17% of respondents selected visual search among their preferred AI capabilities.
For shoppers and students, this can be useful for identifying products, objects or information without typing a traditional search query.
5. On-Device AI
Another important development is AI processing directly on the smartphone.
On-device AI can reduce dependence on cloud servers for certain tasks, potentially improving responsiveness and privacy. A 2026 CyberMedia Research study found 61% of surveyed users said on-device AI improves privacy and responsiveness, while 82% highlighted the importance of transparent data practices.
This could become increasingly important as smartphone AI becomes more deeply integrated into everyday tasks.
AI Is Important, But It Isn’t Everything
The biggest takeaway from recent consumer research is that Indian buyers are not abandoning traditional smartphone priorities.
Performance, battery life and camera quality remain fundamental. Amazon’s survey put performance and speed at the top, followed by battery and camera quality.
AI is therefore becoming another major layer of the smartphone experience, rather than replacing the basics.
For buyers, the important question is no longer simply whether a phone has AI. It is what the AI can actually do and whether those features are useful in everyday life.
Bottom Line
India’s smartphone market is moving from a specification-first approach toward a more experience-focused approach. AI is increasingly part of that shift, but useful implementation matters more than simply adding an AI badge to the specifications sheet.
For anyone buying a new phone in 2026, the smarter approach is to check AI features alongside performance, battery life, camera quality, software support and overall value.
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