Google is replacing Google Assistant with Gemini | TechCrunch
Google will replace Google Assistant on Android phones with Gemini later this year, the company announced on Friday.
Every couple of years I try out the latest "assistant". I ask very simple queries, stuff that you might expect it to be able to handle. It always disappoints hilariously.
Questions where previous assistants consistently and utterly failed: "What's the weather going to be like today?" "I want to go to [address], using public transport, can you tell me which routes I have to take?" "What are my appointments today?"
You'd think these are pretty obvious use-cases, but every iteration of assistants was completely incapable of getting even close to a satisfying answer. I don't expect LLMs to fare better this time around.
I just tried those questions with Gemini on my phone. It got them all right. For the directions one it gave me a Google Maps link with the route dialed in in public transit mode
My every usage of assistant boiled down to just "What's this song?", so I just replaced it with Shazam.
Gemini... having tried it, you will surely get an answer, perhaps based on random magic.
I remember asking my phone to navigate for me as I often do. Far easier than opening up a map, looking for locations, etc. Just what Google Assistant was always supposed to be for. It was cold and I was wearing gloves also. But this time, it was Gemini on my phone. Instead of passing the query into Google maps, she just starts reciting directions to me using outdated bus timetables instead of using Google maps with the live times and delays plugged into it. Or when I asked it to set a timer and it started giving me instructions on how to set a timer on both Android and iOS. Thankfully I figured out how to set it back to assistant. Sure, an LLM is great when you're having a debate in the car and need to ask it for info, but not for everything. It's like the whole "chatgpt vs stockfish chess match"
hmm, this might actually be good
nevermind, it's going to eat up my phone's resources
I'm replacing my arse with Sagittarius.
Far more impressive and interesting news.