Google Assistant is going away after a stay of execution last year.Google is emailing customers to let them know that its original voice assistant will be "discontinued" in favor of Gemini on Android and Wear OS starting September 4.The shutdown will "take a few weeks," Google says.
When complete, you won't have the option of using or reverting to Assistant on phones, tablets, and paired devices like smartwatches, earbuds, and cars with Android Auto.Smart speakers, smart displays, TVs, and cars with Google built-in (aka Android Automotive) aren't affected.Related Gemini in Android Auto makes driving feel less safe The one job that actually matters while driving.
Posts 5 By David J.Buck Google vows a "smooth transition" and is "confident" Gemini will be more useful than the outgoing AI helper.Gemini is already rolling out to some smart home devices and cars, such as the Google Home Speaker and GM vehicles.
Gemini was originally meant to replace Google Assistant by the end of 2025, but the deployment was delayed to 2026.As users noted, the replacement just wasn't ready at the time.While Gemini was good with knowledge requests, summaries, and conversations, it struggled with simple commands like direct device controls.
The longer transition should help Gemini fill those gaps while providing additional polish.How do I switch from Google Assistant to Gemini? You don't have to take action, but prepare yourself You won't necessarily have to do anything to switch from Google Assistant to Gemini.If you want to adopt the technology before the September 4 cutoff, it takes just a few steps: Download the Gemini app from the Play Store (you might have it already).
Open your device's Settings app.Choose Apps.Choose Assistant.
Choose Digital assistants from Google and then Gemini.Follow the remaining instructions.The commands you use in Google Assistant should translate to Gemini, and the generative AI allows for more natural requests as well as back-and-forth conversations.
If you're asking about classic sports cars, for instance, you can dive deeper into the subject than you would with a standard search.Just remember there isn't any going back after the deadline.Google is fully committed to its latest AI, and on higher-end Android 17 devices is launching Gemini Intelligence to offer agent-level app control.
Unless Google makes alternative AI models available, Gemini represents Android's future.
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