The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has arrived, bringing along a suite of advanced AI-powered tools that promise to redefine the way users interact with their photos and videos. With emphasis on intelligent photo editing, real-time suggestions, and automated enhancements, the S24 Ultra’s AI editing features are among the most powerful ever seen on a smartphone. We spent some hands-on time with the device and its new capabilities, and the results are more than impressive.
The Power Behind Samsung’s New Editing Suite
The S24 Ultra is built on Samsung’s latest AI engine architecture, integrating both on-device and cloud-based machine learning to streamline the editing process. Whether it’s making subtle improvements or performing complex manipulations, the phone’s processing power enables near-instantaneous results that once required professional software.
Here’s a breakdown of the most noteworthy tools:
- Generative Edit: Samsung’s answer to Google’s Magic Editor; it lets users seamlessly fill in, move, or remove elements in an image.
- Photo Assist: Offers real-time suggestions, such as straightening horizons, adjusting lighting, or even removing reflections and shadows.
- Instant Slow-Mo: Applies AI to interpolate frames between actual footage, turning regular videos into dramatic slow-motion sequences.
- Erase and Replace: A smart tool that can remove unwanted people or objects from photos and generate appropriate background in-painting.
- Live Translate and Captioning: Though not strictly for editing, this tool enhances videos by automatically translating and captioning speech across languages.
Generative Edit – The Game Changer
Using Generative Edit feels almost like magic. You select an object in your photo, say a trash bin in the background of a scenic shot, and the phone intelligently fills in the space behind the object using contextual information from the rest of the frame. The results are natural and fluid, without awkward or repetitive patterns—even for complex backgrounds like mountain ranges or city skylines.
We tested this by removing tourists from a crowded background in front of the Eiffel Tower. The S24 Ultra not only erased them cleanly but managed to reconstruct the missing portions of the fence and grass patch naturally. Though not every attempt is flawless, the fact that these edits happen in under five seconds is nothing short of astonishing.
Photo Assist – Your Smart Second Opinion
Photo Assist is like having a professional photo editor by your side. After snapping a picture, you’ll immediately receive smart prompts like:
- “Would you like to brighten this image?”
- “Straighten horizon?”
- “Remove glare?”
Unlike earlier AI-based editors that offered blanket auto-enhance features, Photo Assist is contextual. For example, it knows the difference between artistic shadows and unwanted ones; it can tell when a face is backlit and uses AI to subtly illuminate the face without flattening the highlights in the sky.
And yes, it’s even helpful for selfies. The AI will recommend smoothing blemishes or enhancing eye sharpness—but always with a toggle, so you remain in control of the final look.
Instant Slow-Mo – More Drama Without the Setup
This AI tool may be the most fun of the bunch. Recorded a cool skateboarding clip but wished you had switched to slow motion? With the S24 Ultra’s Instant Slow-Mo, you don’t need to worry. The tool uses frame interpolation to create new intermediary frames between existing ones, resulting in smooth, slow footage—without ever having recorded in slow-motion in the first place.
Testing it on action scenes like dogs playing or a dancer spinning resulted in surprisingly fluid results. Edges remained crisp, and motion blur was added where appropriate. You’d think it was filmed deliberately in 120fps or higher, but it was just regular footage processed flawlessly.
Erase and Replace – Object Removal That Actually Works
Perhaps the tool with the most “wow” factor is Erase and Replace. Not only can you remove objects, but the software intelligently fills in the vacant space using advanced in-painting neural networks. We tried this with a beach photo filled with footprints and scattered shells. After a few taps, the beach looked untouched, like it was captured at sunrise before anyone arrived.
The accuracy of the generated backgrounds has improved significantly over previous phones. Palm trees, clouds, and ocean textures regenerate in a way that doesn’t betray any abrupt transitions. Unlike previous iterations found in earlier Galaxy models, the generated content blends so well you’d never suspect editing took place.
Video Edits – Language, Captions and More
Although often overlooked, Samsung’s AI also brings robust tools for video editing. It now supports automatic language translation and closed captions in real time. For content creators or international travelers, this is a groundbreaking feature. Start recording a video blog in English, and the AI can instantly provide text captions in languages like Spanish, French, or Mandarin—with excellent accuracy.
Additionally, these captions can be styled and positioned anywhere on screen to meet aesthetic needs, making this a powerful tool for social media creators and journalists alike.
Live Demo Experience
In a controlled environment, Samsung demonstrated live editing capabilities of the S24 Ultra. Engineers showed how a photo taken minutes before—featuring a street scene—was transformed:
- First, several moving cars were removed to leave an empty road.
- Then an overexposed sky was replaced with a dramatic sunset.
- Finally, shadows on a pedestrian’s face were automatically adjusted for balance.
The entire live edit took under two minutes and involved no third-party software or external help. This level of editing accessibility is revolutionary for mobile content creation.
Challenges and Room For Improvement
No tool is perfect, and the S24 Ultra’s AI suite has a few limitations. For instance, when replacing highly textured or patterned backgrounds, the generated fill can sometimes look repetitive or inconsistent upon close inspection. Similarly, while Erase and Replace works wonders with static backgrounds like skies or grass, it’s less effective in textured indoor environments like patterned wallpaper or crowded shelves.
Also worth noting is that while most features are available offline, some, like Generative Edit, require a stable internet connection to access cloud AI computation. This could be a limitation for those trying to edit on the go in areas with poor connectivity.
Final Thoughts – A Leap Forward in AI Creativity
The Galaxy S24 Ultra marks a major leap in what users can achieve with smartphone photography and video. Its AI editing tools not only simplify complex tasks but also offer an unprecedented level of creative control—without needing professional software or skills. Whether you’re a casual user trying to clean up vacation photos or a content creator aiming for the perfect reel, the S24 Ultra empowers you with tools once reserved for the desktop editing suite.
While there are a few quirks to iron out, especially in scenes with busy textures, the path forward is clear: mobile AI is no longer a complementary feature—it’s the centerpiece of the next generation smartphone experience.
Verdict: The S24 Ultra’s AI editing is not just a feature—it’s a full-blown creative assistant in your pocket.