Google previews new Gemini AI features coming to Android in 2026

In short: Google says Android will get a major set of Gemini AI features in 2026, aimed at automating tasks across apps, the web, and cars.

What happened

Google shared early details ahead of its I/O conference about new Android features under a name it calls Gemini Intelligence. The idea is to let your phone do more steps for you, like a helper that can follow instructions instead of you tapping through every screen.

One focus is app automation. Google says Android will be able to do more multi step actions, like finding a course syllabus in Gmail and then adding required books to a shopping cart. It has tested this in early 2026 with DoorDash and Uber on some Pixel and Samsung phones, and it says it has been tuning the system since.

Google also plans to bring Chrome’s Auto Browse to Android in late June for Android 12 and newer phones. Auto Browse uses cloud based AI models (meaning the work is done on Google’s computers, not just on your phone) to read web pages and try to complete tasks for you. Google says you can watch it work or let it run until it needs approval for something sensitive.

Other updates include an AI powered upgrade to Autofill, which may fill in extra details in forms, like a license plate, but it is opt in. Google also described “Rambler” in the Gboard keyboard, which turns messy voice dictation into cleaner text. For cars, Android Auto will adapt better to different screen shapes, add widgets, refresh media apps, and add parked only video playback in some supported vehicles.

Why it matters

If these features work well, they could cut down the small chores people do every day on phones, like copying details between apps and filling out forms. They also raise practical questions about which apps are supported, how accurate the automation is, and what permissions you must approve along the way.

Source: Arstechnica