Android users are on the brink of a significant enhancement to their experience with Gemini, Google’s AI assistant. In a recent communication shared with Android Police, Google announced that starting July 7th, Gemini will gain the capability to manage various device features and applications while addressing privacy concerns.
This update allows users to instruct Gemini to perform tasks such as making phone calls, sending messages via WhatsApp, and managing utilities on their devices, all without the need for the Gemini Apps Activity setting to be enabled. By disabling this setting, users can prevent their interactions with the chatbot from being utilized for the development and personalization of Google’s products and AI models.
Initially, the announcement sparked some uncertainty regarding the extent of Gemini’s access to personal data and system functionalities. However, Google later clarified that users retain control over app connections and can disable them at any time. The company reassured users that this update is designed to enhance their experience: “They can now use Gemini to complete daily tasks on their mobile devices like send messages, initiate phone calls, and set timers while Gemini Apps Activity is turned off,” a Google representative stated.
With this change, Gemini is poised to serve as a more effective personal assistant, allowing users to engage with their devices without contributing to the AI’s training datasets. This development comes just as Gemini is set to replace Google Assistant on Android devices later this year. It’s worth noting that while turning off the Apps Activity will prevent interactions from appearing in the activity log, Google will still retain conversations for up to 72 hours for security purposes, irrespective of the setting status.
