Google email hints that Gemini will be closer to replacing Google Assistant on July 7th
An update coming July 7th could mean the end of Google Assistant is close.
There was a time when Google Assistant was the best in the business. Not only did surveys and tests show that it understood queries and requests better than rival assistants such as Siri, Alexa, and Cortana, Google Assistant usually had the correct answer more often than the others. But when AI Large Language models starting appearing on smartphones, it made sense for users to take advantage of the superior capabilities of AI.
Gemini will be closer to replacing Google Assistant on July 7th
Android Police was able to view an email that Google recently sent out to Gemini users that mentions changes coming to Gemini on July 7th. This update will allow Gemini to "use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off." With the latter turned off, conversations run through Gemini cannot be used to "provide, improve, develop, and personalize" Google products and AI models. Disabling the app also prevents users from asking Gemini to perform tasks in connected apps. These tasks include such requests as calling contacts, setting alarms or timers, controlling media playback settings and more.
"They can now use Gemini to complete daily tasks on their mobile devices like send messages, initiate phone calls, and set timers while Gemini Apps Activity is turned off. With Gemini Apps Activity turned off, their Gemini chats are not being reviewed or used to improve our AI models."
-Google Statement
Once the changes are made on or around July 7th, Android users can use Gemini as a personal assistant without training Google's AI models. For example, let's say that you have Gemini Apps Activity disabled now because you were concerned about Gemini keeping your personal info. With the setting turned off, you can't use Gemini at the moment to set timers or alarms, send or read messages, or make phone calls because the Utilities, Messages, Phone, Utilities, or WhatsApp extensions in Gemini will not work with the Gemini Apps Activity setting for your account disabled.
But once the changes are made to Gemini next month, users will be able to access those extensions even if they have the Gemini Apps Activity setting turned off. That means regardless of whether you allow your Gemini history to be saved to your Google account, you'll be able to ask Gemini to be able to do things you'd ask Google Assistant to do such as set a timer or alarm, make a phone call, send a text message and more.
After the July changes are made to Gemini, even if the Gemini Apps Activity settings is turned off, you'll be able to use Gemini like a virtual assistant. | Image credit-PhoneArena
Google plans to store your user activity with Gemini for 72 hours
There is an important caveat. No matter how you have the Settings for Gemini Apps Activity set, Google will store your user activity with Gemini for 72 hours for safety, security, and user feedback. If you want to delete Gemini Apps Activity on your Android device, follow these directions.
- Open the Gemini app. Press the Profile icon in the upper right corner.
- Tap on Gemini Apps Activity which opens the Gemini Apps Activity page.
- Press the Turn off button directly opposite the Gemini Apps Activity heading.
- Follow the directions to turn off the feature (1 step) or turn off and delete activity (2 steps).
Siri and Apple continue to look bad in the face of Google's actions
Google's move give Apple and Siri another black eye as it shows the Alphabet unit continuing to move forward by using its Gemini LLM model as a highly capable digital assistant. Meanwhile Apple is still working on adding more AI capabilities to Siri and features that Siri was supposed to have now, such as "Personal Siri," remain delayed. With this feature, Siri would go into the user's calendar, texts, email and other accounts to find out information about a specific flight, a restaurant reservation, and more.
Siri is also supposed to be integrated deeper into certain apps allowing users to have Siri take action without having the user open the apps involved. For example, an iPhone user can ask Siri to edit a photo and then share it.
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