The company will begin pulling the plug on Assistant across Android phones, tablets, Wear OS smartwatches, headphones, and vehicles using Android Auto projected from a phone starting September 4.

In its place, Gemini — Google's next-generation (Artificial Intelligence) AI-powered assistant — will step in as the default experience on Android devices. Google has actively been working on this migration. Gemini is already in the process of taking over Google Maps. More features for the AI tool, like a handy image creation hub, are also rolling out.

Brian Marquardt, Senior Director, Product Management of the Gemini app, said in a blog post: "We believe an assistant should be personal to you, and aware of the world around you. It should be able to interact with the apps and services you already use. And it should make you more productive, more creative and a bit more curious.

"When we launched Google Assistant in 2016, natural language processing and voice recognition technology unlocked a more natural way to get help from Google. Nearly a decade later, we’re in the midst of another platform shift — this time, generative AI is transforming the way we interact with technology."

It won't happen overnight, though. Google says the rollout will take a few weeks after the September 4 deadline, so not everyone will lose access at the same time.

But once the switch does hit your device, you won't be able to revert to Assistant on your phone, tablet, or any paired gadgets like your smartwatch or earbuds.

From that point on, saying "Hey Google" or holding down the power button will fire up Gemini rather than the old Assistant. Google has described the move as part of a "seamless transition," with more details promised as the changeover progresses.

Not everything is affected by this change, though. If you've got a car with Google built-in — rather than one that relies on Android Auto from your phone — Assistant will keep working just fine beyond the September deadline.

Smart displays and speakers are also safe for now, so your Google Home or Nest Hub won't suddenly lose its voice.

That said, Google has confirmed that Gemini is on its way to Google TV devices as well as Google Home speakers and smart displays at some point. So while those gadgets aren't part of this particular shake-up, their turn will come eventually.

However, users don't appear to be ready to give up on Google Assistant quite yet. Many argue Gemini's predecessor is better at handling more basic tasks with your smart home gadgets, like switching on the lights or adjusting your thermostat.

One Reddit user wrote: "I also can't control my lights at my house because Gemini hallucinates that colours don't exist."

Another user said: "I've been an Android user for many years and this might make me bail. I gave Gemini a chance while driving, and it failed spectacularly. I don't want a conversation, I just want my map to route me where I asked to go."

Comment
by u/FragmentedChicken from discussion
in Android

This September date has been a long time coming. Google originally planned to retire Assistant by the end of 2025, only to push things back at the last minute. The revised target was March 2026, but that deadline quietly slipped by another six months.

The silver lining? Those delays have given Gemini time to get considerably better. It's now a far more capable replacement than it was even a few months ago, with stronger natural language understanding and more conversational abilities.

Most users have likely already made the jump to Gemini by now, but anyone still holding on to Assistant has roughly 30 days to make the switch.