At Tuesday's Made by Google event, Gemini solidified its place as the default assistant on Pixel devices. While the company has previously allowed users to choose to replace Google Assistant with its generative AI platform, the newly announced Pixel 9 smartphone will be the first device to ship that way by default.
Google says that if users aren't happy with the as-yet-unfinished, hallucinogenic platform, they can revert their new devices to what it calls “legacy Assistant,” though that name isn't entirely apt: Google recently reaffirmed that Assistant will remain as part of its Nest/Home business.
This side of Google's hardware division has received a new boost recently, thanks to a belated update to the Nest Learning Thermostat, the Google TV Streamer replacing the Chromecast, and new AI features under the hood.
Gemini currently has both a high ceiling and a low floor. The last few generations of neural networks have proven extremely capable at a wide range of tasks, from natural language conversation to image generation. But black box models are still prone to problems, and some question whether the current hype cycle is encouraging companies like Google to be overly aggressive in deploying solutions.
Google has already launched a number of very impressive AI tools, especially in the area of image processing, such as Magic Eraser and the new Add Me editing feature, and with the arrival of the Pixel 9, the AI capabilities are being further enhanced, including Live with the Gemini 1.5 Pro, which enables a more human-like conversation on the device.
Following the launch of the new Pixel, Google is no doubt looking to roll out its Gemini assistant across Android. Its adoption will depend on Google's update schedule and the device makers themselves. Some companies, such as Samsung, are working on their own generative AI, but there's no evidence that products like the Galaxy AI are on track to surpass Gemini in any meaningful way.
Also key to the timeline is whether Google intends to continue supporting the “legacy” Assistant on mobile devices indefinitely, and whether lower-end devices will be able to accommodate Gemini adoption.
Pixel 9 devices will start shipping from August 22nd.