Gemini takes over multi-step tasks on Android

Google has rolled out a fresh batch of Gemini-powered updates for Android, and this time the focus is clear: make AI actually do things for you. The headline feature introduces multi-step automations that let Gemini handle tasks like ordering an Uber or arranging food delivery directly from your phone.

With this update, Google wants users to hand off parts of their to-do list to Gemini. In reality, the feature still comes with limits. Google has launched it in beta, and for now it only works with select apps in food, grocery, and rideshare categories. Access also depends on your device. The automation tools are currently available through the Gemini app on the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S26 series. Users in the U.S. and Korea get first access.

Because AI-driven automations can misfire, Google built in several safeguards. The system won’t run without a direct command from the phone’s owner. Once it starts, users can monitor the task in real time and stop it if something goes wrong. Google also runs these automations inside a secure virtual window on the device, limiting access to specific apps instead of exposing the phone’s broader data.

The move places Google squarely in the growing race to turn AI into a digital agent that handles everyday tasks. Other players have already entered that space. OpenAI’s ChatGPT allows users to schedule tasks and deploy agents that manage calendars, create slideshows, and even run code. Anthropic has pushed similar functionality with Claude, while new AI tools continue to pop up offering automated help with emails, travel check-ins, and file management. Google clearly wants Gemini to compete in that same arena.

Beyond automations, Google also expanded its AI-powered scam detection for phone calls. Samsung Galaxy S26 users in the U.S. can now access the feature, which Pixel users in countries like the U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, and the U.K. already use. Google has also enabled Gemini’s on-device model to detect scam texts in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. on Pixel 10 devices, with Galaxy S26 support coming soon.

Another update strengthens Circle to Search. Previously, users could circle or scribble over a single item on their screen to search for it. Now, the tool can identify and search for everything visible on the screen. That means you can scan an entire outfit, multiple accessories, or a cluster of objects and get results for all of them at once.

Google continues to push Gemini deeper into Android through regular system updates and its Pixel Drops for flagship devices. While Google accelerates its AI rollout, Apple still works to deliver its long-promised AI overhaul, including a revamped AI-powered Siri. Apple has delayed that launch again, pushing it further into the year.

For now, Google is moving fast. With Gemini automations, scam detection, and expanded visual search, the company is steadily turning Android into an AI-first operating system, one update at a time.