Table of Contents
Highlights
- AI-assisted keyboards now go beyond autocorrect to offer proofreading, rewriting, translation, and even image generation directly while typing.
- Gboard, SwiftKey with Copilot, Grammarly, and Typewise each emphasize different strengths: system integration, generative power, editorial polish, and privacy.
- Choosing the right keyboard depends on balancing capability with speed and data privacy to match personal or professional writing needs.
The humble keyboard on a smartphone has quietly become a stage for rapid AI innovation. What began with simple autocorrect and next-word prediction has evolved into a new breed of on-device and cloud-powered writing assistants capable of proofreading, rewriting, translating, generating drafts, and even surfacing images—all without forcing the writer to leave the app they’re using.
A few major players define today’s landscape for AI-assisted keyboards, each arriving with a different approach to making typing smarter.
The contenders – what they bring
Google’s Gboard has introduced a set of writing tools that let a person proofread, rephrase, and change tone directly from the keyboard, increasingly relying on a mix of on-device processing and cloud services powered by Google’s Gemini models. Microsoft’s SwiftKey has been overhauled to include Copilot features that blend prediction with an integrated assistant able to chat, search, suggest tones, and even create images.
Grammarly’s mobile keyboard focuses on real-time clarity, grammar checks, and rewrites, offering multi-length and tone options that are particularly valuable for polished professional writing.
Typewise takes another approach: it’s a privacy-first keyboard experience featuring a smartphone-optimized layout and local prediction models, with enterprise features that help support agents with grounded suggested replies.
These four illustrate the main approaches in the market: deep system integration, a powerful assistant mashup, editorial-grade language tooling, and privacy-first efficiency.
What to compare: The criteria that count
In evaluating AI-assisted keyboards, three broad trade-offs shape the right choice for any given person or organization. Capability refers to the quality and flexibility of generative features – the ability to draft, rephrase, control length, or switch creativity modes. Some keyboards offer only basic rewrites and tone shifts, while others include chat-like assistants and multimodal outputs such as images.
Latency and integration concern whether the AI runs on-device, which tends to be faster and more private, or in the cloud, which generally provides greater raw capability. While on-device models enable near-instant suggestions, many of the most sophisticated features still depend on cloud services.
Privacy and data handling are critical: keyboards differ in what typing data is sent to servers, how long it is stored, and whether local-only modes exist. For organizations or individuals handling sensitive information, keyboards that advertise offline operation or provide enterprise contracts with explicit data controls are particularly relevant.
Secondary but important considerations include the impact on battery and storage, subscription costs for advanced features, language coverage, and how broadly the keyboard functions across apps versus within a single ecosystem.
Head-to-head: strengths and practical tradeoffs
A closer look at each contender shows the trade-offs inherent in their design choices. Gboard offers a seamless experience, particularly for Android users, where system integration and a low-friction interface make access to quick rewrite and tone-adjustment tools as painless as possible.
Its move toward on-device models delivers quicker suggestions and greater privacy for routine tasks, though some of the most powerful cloud-based features remain server-dependent. For users who value an unobtrusive, OS-native experience, Gboard tends to feel smooth and familiar.
Microsoft’s SwiftKey with Copilot is aimed at users looking for a more powerful assistant built directly into typing. SwiftKey is an attractive option for anyone who needs extended drafting help, multi-step rewrites, or creative outputs, such as generated images, by combining traditional prediction with Copilot’s chat, search, and generation capabilities.
The compromise here is heavier cloud dependency, a larger app footprint, and the usual need for sign-in and configuration tied to a Microsoft account. For users who value integrated research and multimodal creativity, SwiftKey’s Copilot features will be compelling.
The Grammarly keyboard positions itself as the go-to choice for clarity and professional polish. It’s particularly well-suited for composing emails, proposals, and other work-oriented text thanks to its real-time grammar, tone suggestions, and one-tap rewrites. Most of Grammarly’s deep analysis happens on servers, while many advanced transforms and premium features are available only with a subscription. For readers who prioritize high-fidelity writing quality, Grammarly provides a focused editorial experience, even if that requires some acceptance of cloud processing.
Typewise is unique in its approach, with strong emphasis on privacy and typing efficiency. Its alternative keyboard layouts aim to reduce typos. At the same time, the option of local processing allows predictions and some features to run offline, a big plus for anyone uneasy about having typing data sent to servers.
The downside is that Typewise offers fewer of the flashy generative features found in Copilot or Grammarly; its strengths lie in accurate typing, multilingual support, and enterprise tools for grounded suggested replies rather than broad creative generation.
Practical recommendations
For those seeking speed and tight system integration, Gboard is a great starting point. Low friction in its interface and growing on-device model support make it a practical default for everyday messaging and light drafting that benefits from near-instant suggestions. Those who need substantial generative power and multimodal features – for example, those who want chat-style assistance, in-line research, or image generation without switching apps – find SwiftKey with Copilot an appealing choice, combining prediction with the power of an assistant.
Professionals and students whose principal need is polished, accurate writing should gravitate to Grammarly’s keyboard, as its grammar and tone tools are among the best, and paying for premium unlocks richer rewrites and vocabulary suggestions.
Lastly, for anyone who considers privacy and offline operation non-negotiable, Typewise or another strictly offline keyboard offers local control and reduced data exposure, though at the cost of fewer generative conveniences.
A practical point worth mentioning: different tools can be combined to create more productive workflows. One might opt to write initial drafts and brainstorm ideas with a fast, integrated keyboard like Gboard or SwiftKey, then polish and deeply grammar check with Grammarly.
That hybrid approach leverages the speed of on-device suggestions and the editorial rigor of a specialized service. When mixing tools, however, it is important to review each app’s permissions and data-handling policies to make informed choices about which text is transmitted off-device.
Conclusion: A helpful hand
AI-powered keyboards have gone from a novelty to a practical productivity tool for many users, saving them time and improving the clarity of everyday writing. Of course, the best keyboard is about balancing immediacy, generative capability, and privacy. Google’s Gboard provides a smooth, OS-integrated experience that’s getting faster and more private with better on-device models.
Microsoft’s SwiftKey with Copilot brings the most complete generative toolkit directly into the typing experience for those who want deep assistance. Grammarly stands out for editorial quality and professional polish, and Typewise offers a compelling privacy-first alternative with reduced typos and local processing.
As models become more capable on the device and privacy-focused architectures mature, these distinctions will likely blur; for now, choosing the right keyboard means matching the tool to the daily priorities of the individual or organization and testing it in real-world use to see which one fits best.
