PAT PILCHER takes Google’s new Gemini AI assistant for a spin and tells you everything you need to know to get this latest greatest app up and running on your phone.
Being able to say โOkay Googleโ and have access to the collective wisdom of the internet is great, but as useful as that is for settling pub arguments, Google Assistant is really starting to show its age. While Google Assistant is reasonably smart, ask it a complex multi-part query and itโll struggle. This is one of the areas where Google’s newest AI assistant Gemini really shines. Itโs built on a large language model and is a generative AI. Because of this, Gemini offers advanced conversational abilities and can understand and respond to complex queries far more effectively than Google Assistant.
This is particularly evident when you want to know more about something that Google Assistant has found out for you. Its near-complete lack of contextual awareness means that querying results with Google Assistant can get you gibberish answers or leave you feeling like youโre interacting with a robot thatโs as thick as paste. Gemini on the other hand can provide more contextually aware responses which helps make interactions seem more natural.
Then there are the capabilities that Geminiโs AI smarts bring to the table. Gemini can summarise articles, generate creative content and even analyse images, all of which can hugely add to your smartphone’s usefulness. If that wasnโt enough, Google has already stated that Gemini is the future and that they plan to integrate all of the Google Assistantโs capabilities into Gemini, making it a good bet for future-proofing your Android phone. That said, there are still some limitations with Gemini. Functionalities like setting timers or controlling smart home devices still have to be routed through the Google Assistant and Gemini is still a work in progress, which means that it might not yet be able to handle all of the tasks you rely on with Google Assistant.
Even so, replacing Google Assistant with the smarter Gemini AI still seems like a bit of a no-brainer. The good news is that it can be done in 6 simple steps.
1 – ย Download and install Google Gemini
Fire up the Google Play app and download Google Gemini. Once it’s installed, open the app and sign in using your Google account.
2 – ย Change your settings
Next, head to your phone’s settings (e.g. tap the gear icon in your app drawer or by swiping down from the top of your screen)
3 – ย Find the Default Apps section
In the settings menu, tap on โAppsโ or โApplicationsโ. ย Then select โDefault Apps.โ This is where you can choose which apps handle what tasks on your phone.
4 – ย Make Gemini your Default Assistant
In โDefault appsโ, look for the โDigital Assistant Appโ category. Tap it, and itโll list available assistants, including Google Assistant and Gemini. Choose โGeminiโ from the list.
5 – ย Confirm your choice
A pop-up dialogue will ask if youโre sure that you want Gemini as your Default Assistant. Tap โSwitchโ to confirm and Voila! You now have Gemini as your Default Assistant.
6 – Test Gemini
Now try saying โHey Googleโ or โOkay Google.โ Gemini should fire up and youโre good to go.
See! Easy-peasy lemon squeezy. Now to solve world hunger and find a really good lasagne recipe.