Updated
Updated · 9to5Google · May 13
Google Says 4,000 Android 17 Emoji Were Hand-Modeled, Not AI-Generated
Updated
Updated · 9to5Google · May 13

Google Says 4,000 Android 17 Emoji Were Hand-Modeled, Not AI-Generated

4 articles · Updated · 9to5Google · May 13
  • Jennifer Daniel said Google’s new Android 17 emoji are “hand-modeled” and built as “true 3D objects,” directly rebutting speculation that AI created the redesign.
  • About 4,000 emoji were redone by hand, Google emoji researcher Alexander Robertson said, after the company’s first preview triggered questions over the glossy new look.
  • Daniel also posted a corrected preview grid on Instagram, fixing issues in the version Google had earlier shared with press, including the smirking cat emoji.
  • The 3D set will debut first on Pixel phones with Android 17 later this year, before expanding to other Google products.
Why did Google's AI-heavy Android 17 rely on human artists for its 4,000 new 3D emoji?
Will Google's hyper-realistic emoji bridge our digital divide or just create new cultural misunderstandings?