If you're a long-time Android user, the chances are you have already used Google Assistant at least once. Bundled with Android, Google Assistant is supposed to make running certain tasks hands-free more convenient with natural voice commands.
Whether you use Google Assistant for setting up navigation or playing a song in Spotify, the voice command integration is essential for drivers. Google Assistant lets users, no matter if they rely on Android or Android Auto, keep their eyes on the road but still interact with their mobile devices.
It doesn't mean Google Assistant is a flawless piece of technology. It's not, and Android Auto users certainly agree.
The voice command integration is often broken on Android Auto, with features like phone calling no longer available unless the user turns to manual dialing.
With so many users disappointed with Google Assistant on Android Auto, news that ChatGPT could become the default assistant on Android was certainly intriguing.
A recent discovery revealed that ChatGPT's parent company is working around the clock on a way to replace Google Assistant as the default assistant on Google's operating system.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 12 months, you know how big ChatGPT is. OpenAI, a company backed by tech giant Microsoft, developed ChatGPT as one of the most advanced AI technologies ever. The super-smart chatbot can do anything, from doing your kid's homework to writing code.
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Despite the new-generation capabilities, interacting with ChatGPT still leaves a lot to be desired on Android. Users must run the dedicated ChatGPT app and interact with the chatbot directly, without a way to do it if they run a different app or are on a different Android screen.
Looking at Google Assistant, ChatGPT is years behind from a usability perspective on Android. Google Assistant supports a wake-up phrase and gestures, so users can launch it in a second, no matter what they do on their mobile devices or what app they run. OpenAI is aiming for a similar approach.
The latest version of the ChatGPT Android app includes evidence that OpenAI wants to replace Google Assistant on Google's mobile operating system, so users would be able to launch the chatbot without having to open the dedicated app first. ChatGPT would sport a small animation at the bottom of the screen when it launches, running on top of any other app to process your request.
The feature is still a work in progress, so OpenAI will probably refine it in the coming weeks, but all signs seem to suggest that the company is aiming to turn ChatGPT into an almost fully featured Google Assistant replacement available anytime, anywhere.
ChatGPT will also get a Quick Settings tile, so if you don't want to give up on Google Assistant as the default assistant on your smartphone, you can still launch the new-generation chatbot with a few taps from the top of the screen.
ChatGPT becoming the default assistant on Android is big news and could start a new trend that could eventually include similar efforts from other companies. However, ChatGPT is unlikely to become a fully featured Google Assistant replacement.
On the one hand, ChatGPT won't support hotwords because the app doesn't have access to the API allowing for such capabilities. Google restricts the use of these features to apps pre-installed on Android. These are trusted applications, typically first-party software, so ChatGPT will lack this must-have capability.
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Second, ChatGPT will remain a chatbot without access to functions baked into Google Assistant and allowing for running tasks. For example, if you hoped to use ChatGPT to make phone calls or configure navigation, that wouldn't be possible. However, ChatGPT can still come in handy when you try to find more information about an unfamiliar destination – in fact, it's what ChatGPT does best, as it conducts impressive research online and provides detailed responses based on your requests.
Eventually, ChatGPT could become the default Android assistant, but it wouldn't bring any major benefits beyond the chatting component. Google Assistant will remain the only stop for people who want to conduct tasks hands-free, including in the car, where interacting with what happens on the screen without looking at it is critical.
It doesn't mean the ChatGPT-based technology wouldn't land behind the wheel. It will, and it's a matter of time until it happens, as Google Assistant with Bard is already on its way. Bard is Google's big bet in the ChatGPT race, bringing an AI component to Google Assistant for more advanced functionality.
The battle for digital assistants is getting fiercer, and OpenAI wants to be an important player, though fighting against Google on its own playground is an impossible mission. However, users will soon get new capabilities, and that's probably the most important tidbit. Time will tell who wins the cabin experience, but 2024 is already turning out to be an intriguing year for the expansion of ChatGPT tech.
Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones. Full profile
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