Google has confirmed that the familiar Assistant experience is entering its final stretch, with Gemini positioned as the long-term replacement. While the transition will not be immediate, the company says users can expect changes to roll out gradually, with Assistant continuing to function until sometime next year, for now.
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- Google Assistant is being phased out, with Gemini set to replace it gradually through 2026.
- The transition goes beyond Android, as Google plans to migrate all Assistant users over time.
- Apple is reportedly adopting a customised Gemini model to power future Siri AI features.
- The Google Assistant app on iOS is expected to shut down, pushing users toward the Gemini app.
- Despite Assistant’s strong accuracy legacy, Gemini still faces AI reliability challenges that require careful use.
Google has confirmed that the familiar Assistant experience is entering its final stretch, with Gemini positioned as the long-term replacement. While the transition will not be immediate, the company says users can expect changes to roll out gradually, with Assistant continuing to function until sometime next year, for now.
The shift is not limited to Android alone. Google has indicated that the broader upgrade effort, now extending into 2026, will eventually move existing Assistant users over to Gemini. Additional clarity on how and when this migration will happen is promised over the coming months, as the company continues to refine its approach.
Interest in Gemini stretches beyond Google’s own ecosystem. Recent reporting suggests Apple is preparing to rely on a customised version of Google’s Gemini large language model, said to contain around 1.2 trillion parameters. The deal, reportedly worth about $1 billion per year, is expected to support future artificial intelligence features within Siri, pointing to Gemini’s growing role across competing platforms.
For iPhone owners, there is a more immediate change ahead. The standalone Google Assistant app for iOS is expected to disappear next year. Users who still want access to Google’s AI assistant can already install the Gemini app on iOS, although its capabilities remain limited. Tasks tied deeply to the operating system, such as alarms, app launching, messaging, or phone calls, are not currently supported on Apple’s platform.
Google is also encouraging direct user involvement as Gemini evolves. The company says it plans to continue sharing updates about its roadmap and has provided a dedicated space where Gemini users can exchange feedback and discuss real-world experiences, signalling that public input will shape how the assistant develops.
Looking back, Google Assistant has had a strong track record. It debuted in October 2016 as a Pixel-exclusive feature, arriving several years after Apple introduced Siri on the iPhone 4S. Over time, it consistently outperformed rivals in accuracy tests. One widely cited 2021 evaluation showed Google Assistant answering over three-quarters of basic questions correctly, placing it well ahead of both Alexa and Siri by comparison.
The gap widened when queries became more demanding. In those same tests, Google Assistant maintained a success rate of just over 70 percent on complex questions, while Alexa and Siri lagged behind with noticeably lower accuracy figures, reinforcing Google’s reputation in this space at the time.
Despite these strengths, Gemini is not immune to the wider challenges facing modern AI systems. Like many conversational models, it can sometimes generate answers that sound convincing but are factually wrong. This behaviour stems from training methods that prioritise helpfulness and fluency, even when certainty is lacking, a limitation users are increasingly being warned about.
There are ways to minimise such errors. Asking an AI assistant to provide sources, to explain its reasoning step by step, or to explicitly admit uncertainty when it does not know an answer can significantly reduce the risk of misleading responses, offering a more cautious and transparent interaction.
Pixel users who prefer not to wait can already make the switch. By navigating through the device settings to the digital assistant options and selecting Gemini, users can replace Google Assistant today. The familiar activation phrase remains unchanged, ensuring continuity even as the underlying assistant shifts to a new era.