Pixel Watch 5’s AI watch face generator keeps the same form factor feeling fresh [Gallery]

Google's Pixel Watch 5 may not boast a radical redesign, but it does introduce some welcome enhancements. One such addition is the AI watch face generator, which offers a fresh take on customization. While the use of generative AI remains a subject of some debate, the Pixel Watch 5's AI watch face generator has proven to be a delightful surprise.

For many smartwatch users, the ability to customize watch faces and bands is a big draw. With the Pixel Watch 5, this is taken a step further through the new feature that allows users to create a new watch face with just a voice command. This is an extension of Gemini Intelligence on the device, though it's not prominently advertised on the Google Store listing.

The process is straightforward: navigate to the watch face settings, tap the "Create" button, and either describe your desired watch face or choose from a selection of guided categories. This is similar to how AI-generated wallpapers work on Pixel phones. However, the real innovation lies in the "Create your own" option, which enables users to describe their desired watch face using voice commands. Within 10-20 seconds, Google will generate the result.

Users have the flexibility to be fairly specific in their design requests. The core styles remain consistent - either a vertical digital face, a vertical face with complication arcs, or a horizontal face with a single complication. However, the digits and theme are entirely up to the user's imagination. Users can even modify existing prompts for a new result by tapping a "Try again" button.

While the feature is limited to specific layouts, there's no analog watch face option. This seems like a missed opportunity given Google's potential to implement this feature on existing hardware, or even offload the heavy lifting to the Pixel Watch app. Despite this limitation, the AI watch face generator has added a nice refresh to the Pixel Watch 5 experience.