Google Assistant is being consigned to history. Almost a decade after it first launched, Google’s voice-activated digital assistant will be replaced by Gemini, Google’s updated AI-powered assistant.
If you’re an existing user of Google Assistant, you will no doubt have noticed the offer of switching to Gemini. While this have been, and remains for now, an optional switch, soon there will be no choice – it will be Gemini all the way.
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Google is being a little cagey about just when those who have thus far opted to stick with Google Assistant will be forcibly migrated to Gemini, but it will be happening at some point this year. Those who have been trying to avoid to relentless march of artificial intelligence will not be able to avoid it if they want to keep using a digital assistant from Google.
The company says:
Over the coming months, we’re upgrading more users on mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini; and later this year, the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores.
This does not just apply to Android phones, but also tablets, cars, watches and other devices. Google also says: “We’re also bringing a new experience, powered by Gemini, to home devices like speakers, displays and TVs. We look forward to sharing more details with you in the next few months. Until then, Google Assistant will continue to operate on these devices”.
The switch from Google Assistant to Gemini may be smooth for many – even most – people, but not everyone. There are some features that Google Assistant offers that are simply not available in Gemini. Google says that this will improve but, again, fails to provide much in the way of detailed information:
We’re continuing to focus on improving the quality of the day-to-day Gemini experience, especially for those who have come to rely on Google Assistant. We’ve updated the app to support more of the most requested features, such as playing music, setting timers, or taking action from your lock screen.
A notable absence is Gemini’s lack of support for Routines, thew handy automation feature of Google Assistant. Google is trying to give an injection of positivity to those who are not yet convinced:
Gemini’s capabilities go far beyond the Google Assistant, and it can also provide an entirely new kind of help. Features like Gemini Live for free-flowing, multimodal conversations and Deep Research, which transforms Gemini into a personal research assistant, are only possible with AI — and we’re just getting started.
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