ChatGPT aims to oust Google Assistant on Android devices
Openai ChatGPT Android app's latest version suggested the possibility of replacing Google Assistant on Android devices
ChatGPT emerged as a contender to replace Google Assistant on Android phones, ushering in a new era of conversational AI.
A recent finding by Android Authority revealed that a code embedded in the latest version of the ChatGPT Android application hints at its potential as the default assistant on Android devices.
The report also highlighted the presence of a new activity called 'com.openai.voice.assistant.AssistantActivity' within ChatGPT version 1.2023.352, released last month.
Although this activity is initially disabled, users can manually activate and initiate it.
When launched, the activity presents itself as an overlay on the device screen, mirroring the animation from the ChatGPT app's voice chat mode, as outlined in the report.
As per the report “This overlay appears over other apps and doesn't take up the entire screen like the in-app voice chat mode. So, presumably, you could talk to ChatGPT from any screen by invoking this assistant.”
The report additionally mentions that the necessary code for the ChatGPT app to function as the "default digital assistant app" is only partially present. Additionally, essential declarations and metadata tags required for configuring the ChatGPT app as the default assistant on a device seem to be absent.
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Meanwhile, Google is actively developing Bard, its proprietary generative AI chatbot, with plans to integrate it into Google Assistant.
The company has also unveiled Gemini, its latest and most robust AI model to date, positioning it as a contender against OpenAI's GPT-4 model.
In contrast, Apple appears to be trailing in the competition for AI assistants. Reports suggest that Apple is developing an AI-enhanced iOS 18 to potentially fuel its upcoming series of smartphones.
The default voice assistant on the anticipated iPhone 16 is expected to undergo a substantial AI enhancement, with the Siri team reportedly reorganized in Q3 2023 to focus on integrating large language models (LLMs) and content generated by artificial intelligence (AIGC).