Google set to kill Google Assistant, replace it with Gemini AI in phased retirement effort
Android's venerable virtual assistant is far from the smartest, considering that Google Assistant debuted in 2016. Around September 2021, Google will upgrade people “over the coming months,” but classic Assistant is going to be phased out for most mobile devices by year’s end.
This, though, will not affect all Android users at least for a while. If you don't have the required hardware, that Google Gemini requires an Android 10 device with at least 2GB of RAM for instance, then things will remain unchanged.
This marks a change mid-Fridler revolution enabling "a platform shift from natural language processing and voice recognition technology to generative AI," according to Google.
Gemini is their current focus and new features are evolving throughout the year. Earlier this week it outlined a new optional service which helps Gemini customise what gets returned in search results based on previous searches. EG: What new hobby or job should I find? In responding, Gemini will take into account your search history. It can even break down what data sources (e.g. saved responses, past chat experiences and search history) were used to come up with the answer
To use the feature, navigate to Gemini Apps and choose “Personalization (experimental)” from the model dropdown that corresponds with search history. You can always disable and disconnect the integration if you do not want Gemini to have access to constantly snoop on your search history
Last month, Gemini acquired the function of remembering previous conversations, and users can request an AI-assisted summary of earlier chat on a specific topic. Google also revealed that the tool will soon receive new screen-sharing and live video features as part of Gemini Live at the Mobile World Congress this year.