【AI前沿】Android is getting a big AI overhaul in 2026

Just sprinkle some AI on itAndroid is getting a big AI overhaul in 2026Google has big plans for Android in 2026, and most of it is AI.Ryan Whitwam–May 12, 2026 1:00 pm|69Credit:

      Ryan WhitwamCredit:

      Ryan WhitwamText
    settingsStory textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth*StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers onlyLearn moreMinimize to navGoogle’s I/O conference is next week, and we expect to hear a lot about the company’s AI endeavors. The company says there’s so much to talk about that it’s spilling the Android beans a little early, and yes, a lot of AI is involved. In the coming months, Google will roll out more smartphone AI features under the Gemini Intelligence banner, bringing more automation and customization to your phone.App automation will be a major element of Android going forward, Google says. Automation for apps is expanding after Google began testing itearlier in 2026with DoorDash and Uber on Pixel and Samsung phones. It was a very frustrating experience at launch, but Google says it has spent the intervening months fine-tuning the system.Google promises that Android will be able to handle more complex automations across apps. For example, the robot could find a course syllabus in Gmail and then hop to a shopping app to add the necessary books to your shopping cart. Google also suggests taking a picture of a travel brochure and telling Gemini to book something similar in the Expedia app.New app automationsNew app automationsThis could theoretically reduce busy work, but that’s only true if it works and your task takes advantage of the right apps. Android won’t just automate any old app on your phone. The automation will only work in select apps, mostly limited to food and grocery ordering and ride-hailing. For everything else, there’s Chrome.The Gemini-powered Auto Browse feature that debuted on desktop Chrome several months ago will launch on Android toward the end of June for all Android 12 and higher devices. This feature uses powerful cloud-based Gemini models to parse webpages and handle multi-step tasks for you.We werenot overly impressedwith the speed or accuracy of Auto Browse in desktop Chrome, but simpler, mobile-optimized pages might be a little more usable for the robot. Like the desktop version, you’ll be able to watch the AI navigate the web for you or let it do its thing in the background until your authorization is needed for something sensitive.Auto Browse on AndroidAuto Browse on AndroidSimilarly, the Autofill system in Android is getting an AI automation upgrade. Google says Autofill with Google will soon plug into Gemini’s Personal Intelligence, allowing it to fill in more information when you encounter an online form. It can still handle your name, address, and other established personal details, but it may also be able to add data like your car’s license plate. Google says the feature is opt-in, so you can keep the traditional autofill experience.Gemini is all earsGemini Intelligence is also powering some new convenience features in Android, including those rumored AI-generated widgets. Google calls that “Create My Widget,” but don’t expect miracles here. These widgets appear mostly to be about displaying data from your account or around the web.AI-generated widgetsAI-generated widgetsFor example, Google says you might want a widget that recommends meal plans on a set schedule or sets a countdown to an important event. You can do that with Create My Widget. You can even mix and match the kinds of included data. Android will offer suggested recipes for new AI widgets, but you can also simply enter a prompt describing what you’re looking for. Perhaps you want to see a countdown widget with specific weather metrics—that should be possible with Gemini-powered widgets. No matter how you make them, the widgets are fully Material themed and resizable.Google is also bringing more AI to voice input with a feature called Rambler, which is integrated with Gboard. Plenty of people already use AI to polish text in emails or other documents before sending them, and this is essentially the same thing for voice input. With Rambler, you can just start talking—or rambling, if you will—and the AI will get the gist of what you say. All the “ums” and “uhs” will go away, and the final result will essentially become a summary of what you said.Rambler fixes your words on the flyRambler fixes your words on the flyThe company claims that Rambler will understand the context and nuance of what you’re saying, so the end product still sounds like you. There will be a prominent indicator when Rambler is enabled, and Google promises that no audio or text will be retained.Android in carsPlugging your Android phone into a car that supports Android Auto will be different soon, too. For starters, Google says Android Auto will now adapt to varying display sizes and shapes. So even if your car has a weird polygon screen, Android should fill it completely.Credit: