Google Assistant’s days are numbered. Later in 2025, Google officially plans to replace Assistant with Gemini on Android phones. This comes after the company has spent the last year releasing feature updates aimed at bringing Gemini up to par with the much older Google Assistant.

The original Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices “later this year.” Gemini has already been shipping as the default experience on new Android phones from Google, Samsung, OnePlus, and Motorola. When Gemini first launched on Android, it required a manual opt-in, and the option to switch back to Google Assistant was easy. Google claims that “millions of people have already made the switch” to Gemini.

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.

Additionally, we’ll be upgrading tablets, cars and devices that connect to your phone, such as headphones and watches, to Gemini. 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.

If you’re still using Assistant, you’ll see an upgrade prompt in the coming months. However, if you have a phone running Android 9 or earlier with less than 2 GB of RAM, you’ll be able to continue using Google Assistant.

Before the final changing of the guard takes place, Google has more work to do on Gemini. The company says it’s focusing on improving the “quality of the day-to-day Gemini experience” for people who rely on Google Assistant. You can check Google’s progress on adapting Google Assistant features to Gemini right here.

It’s more than a little strange for a company to preach the good word about AI but then, in the same breath, tell us that it’s still working to get up to speed with something that’s been around since 2016. Which is the superior product?

When Google Assistant launched almost 10 years ago, it was first only available in the Allo messaging app and the original Google Home smart speaker. Eventually, it was built into Pixel phones and many other Android and Wear OS devices. Google continued to pump out smart speakers and smart displays with Assistant as well.

Then, in early 2023, after feeling pressure from ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, Google released its strangely-named AI chatbot called “Bard.” It was rebranded to “Gemini” in early 2024, which is also when Google started pushing it to Android devices. Google Assistant has been in its crosshairs ever since.

Accuracy is a big concern with chatbots like Gemini. A recent study showed that AI chatbots are exceptionally good at being confidently wrong. In Gemini’s case, it was partially incorrect or completely incorrect with confidence 74% of the time when asked to simply identify the headline, original publisher, publication date, and URL of a provided article.

Soon, this same chatbot will be confidently reciting information to millions of people on Android phones and smart devices. Hold on to your butts.

Source: Google