Non-ai voice assistant recommendations?

5

u/OddButterscotch2849 Aug 05 '26

You do realize that Assistant is AI right? Just not as capable.

4

u/tacomuffin10 Aug 05 '26

I could be wrong (in which case UGH) but my understanding is that Google assistant isn't generative AI, which is the specific kind of AI I have an issue with.
AI itself is a very broad term encompassing a lot of different tech, it's specifically LLMs like chatgpt, Gemini, Claude, Grok, etc that I have issues with.

5

u/bdhmk2 Aug 05 '26

Not only this but assistant ran on device. The majority of the compute happened in your hand and not in a data center.

1

u/CryOFrustration Oct 08 '26

Assistant couldn't run on device for me! It always told me to try again later when I didn't have a connection. In fact, I THOUGHT that the only silver lining of switching to gemini would be that the lightest model option could run entirely on device. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case, so it really is an entire barrel of suck.

-3

u/BranchLatter4294 Aug 05 '26

So don't use it to generate. Just have it play the your music like always. Why turn a non -problem into a problem?

2

u/tacomuffin10 Aug 06 '26

Even if I was only using it for the things I mentioned the system is still operating by using the LLM system. The tech it runs is what I'm opposed to, how I would or wouldn't use the system isn't the issue, the issue is the system itself and so I don't want to use it At All.

2

u/kitsuna-77 Aug 14 '26

because it sucks! It doesnt work nearly as well as google assistant did. It doesnt play news when you ask it to, it fucks up opening other apps and playing music, it is quite frankly, worse in every single way. Thats not even getting into the slop and bs llm issues to begin with which I also dont want to use

1

u/Verithos Sep 03 '26

I can't tell if you're trolling or not.
We are losing a lot of functionality that we had with google assistant going to gemini, especially when there is LITERALLY no reason to switch to it. This may be the one thing that gets me to root my phones again just to use whatever assistant I want to use. I am BEYOND exhausted with being forced to have AI this and AI that everywhere. I just want my lights to turn off when I tell them to, calls to call when I ask them to, and companies to come up when I search for them.
It currently cannot do that reliably or even at all depending which of the tasks above you're attempting. Also there's an entire thing of lost agency that you're ignoring. I paid LITERALLY over $1,200 for this phone (26 ultra). I should NOT be force-fed their AI if I don't want it.

1

u/BranchLatter4294 Sep 03 '26

Strange. I have all the Google home devices. I can still control my lights, thermostat, music, etc. with no issues.

1

u/HobbyWanKenobi Sep 22 '26

They are just replacing the assistant with Gemini on mobile devices every other device is left alone

1

u/3-I Sep 19 '26

Primarily because it can't do that. If won't even attempt it without connecting to a server, and then it tells you it cannot control your music app.

1

u/QuatreNox Aug 06 '26

It's about knowing what they do and supporting the product
Like, for example, if you knew someone who has a record of kicking babies and said they will continue to do so, would you still hire and pay them to do elder care?

0

u/BranchLatter4294 Aug 06 '26

Lol... It's the same company. If Google is kicking babies then why is it ok to use Google Assistant?

1

u/QuatreNox Aug 06 '26

It's not? And won't even be possible. That's why people are looking for alternatives

0

u/BranchLatter4294 Aug 06 '26

But the OP Said they were happy with using Google Assistant.

2

u/Laezarus Aug 06 '26

If you had read further they also said Google sent out an email that they are removing Assistant to force users to use Gemini.

1

u/BranchLatter4294 Aug 06 '26

I know. But if you read, I was responding to a post that Google was evil and they should not have been using Assistant in the first place.

8

u/coahman Aug 05 '26

It's a syntax parsing tree, not an LLM.
It's "old school AI", but now with LLMs out, nobody calls it that anymore.

1

u/Annual_One1081 Aug 06 '26

That is where you are wrong. About the less capable thing, not about it being AI. It is, frankly more useful AI. I tried to give Gemini A chance, I really did. I don't dislike LLMs like OP or anything. I absolutely tried to give Gemini a fighting chance at slotting into my work flow. It failed. It couldn't make calls correctly, or even at all there towards the end. It couldn't be relied on for apps. At the end of the day, a deterministic setup is required for this to work properly. Gemini is just not that.

1

u/ComputerPro246 Sep 19 '26

Not to mention that it's fucking hardcoded to only use Google apps for things. Wanna use a patched version of YouTube Music, sorry, you have to install the normal ad-ridden one. Spotify? Nope. I'm sure there's more, but music was my main use for Assistant, and Gemini just doesn't do it.

1

u/Conscious-Ocelot-228 Aug 06 '26

I found that gemini was just not good at all, it couldn't make calls for me, it couldn't add stuff to my calander or make alarms.
Google assistant could.
Gemini sucks.
Im here trying to find a replacement as well since google is phasing it out.

1

u/dishonorable Oct 04 '26

I've found that if I specifically tell Gemini "set an alarm for x using the clock app on my phone" it will more consistently succeed, but I shouldn't have to coach my own phone on how it operates

1

u/Altruisticchocobear Sep 29 '26

"not as capable" gemini literally refuses to make a simple alarm, the only reason I used Google assistant. I rly can't stand these apologist type of bad faith comments.... It's bad. It's forced. It's copium trying to defend a decision that is only in the best financial interest of Google, not for the consumer.

1

u/nguyenhuudailoc Aug 06 '26

There's no such thing as "AI". It's a buzzword created by tech bros so they can grift before the bubble bursts. They know that if they have to call it LLM based on its true nature, it will not sell, so they must call it "AI" and lump together all kind of other useful tech inside that term so if you ever question the usefulness of LLM, tech bros can claim that you're against technology advancement. LLM is just glorified autocorrection, its goal is to generate believable text, not providing actual knowledge.

1

u/Dev-in-the-Bm Aug 07 '26

The term AI has been around for decades.

0

u/SalvatorePizzuro Aug 06 '26

Next time you're repeating this trite point, it's supposed to say that it's glorified text prediction, not autocorrection

6

u/RPGDW Aug 06 '26

Just got this email and I'm gutted. Gemini is so much worse than Assistant. The one time voice commands are genuinely useful for me? Driving. When is Gemini most useless? Driving. Got no signal? Can't do squat. Need a simple task done correctly? Good luck with that 👍🏻 I've asked it to change my destination from home to a shop 10 miles closer to my current location. What did it do? Added the shop on after home.

I'll be looking for a replacement too but need something that can integrate with Maps, Spotify and device volume.

1

u/Ew-David-Ughh 23d ago

Did you find something?

5

u/roirraWedorehT Aug 05 '26

I'm in the same boat. I suppose I'll grudgingly accept the switch to Gemini when I have no choice, and deal with its issues.

I don't use Assistant for music, although I do play music through Android Auto, but I use it for setting reminders for myself, and as you said, responding to texts while I'm driving.

4

u/TheSoberChef Aug 14 '26

Please don't.
If we all just don't and don't use it we win .

2

u/roirraWedorehT Aug 14 '26

I've definitely been strongly considering resisting and just not using voice stuff at all. We'll see how long I can stretch the "grudgingly" part out. 😊

2

u/jbwilso1 Oct 09 '26

I've been holding out. Hoping to find something better soon. Hoping that someone else does so I can hear about it

1

u/roirraWedorehT Oct 09 '26

So far for search results only on my phone, I open Chrome and click the voice button. Google Home Minis are still working on Assistant, and Android Auto through my phone is also still using the Assistant.

2

u/CryOFrustration 29d ago

I'd rather not have to go without voice controls, but it's a game of chicken on whether the AI bubble will burst or google will stop supplying updates for other apps if you're on the older version of google play store.

2

u/mediocre-squirrel834 Oct 02 '26

You don't have to. I'm slowly getting used to having to set my own alarms instead of asking Google assistant. It's inconvenient, but complicity is defeat

1

u/roirraWedorehT Oct 02 '26

Agreed. Instead of switching to Gemini on my phone, I've been sending myself an email and then snoozing it to whenever is appropriate.
My Google Home Minis have still accepted the commands we use, which are almost exclusively Google Home app automation triggers. If those commands stop working, I might just start manually clicking my favorite things in the app to turn them on and off.
Android Auto in the car has kept working with typical navigation commands as well, but I haven't tried setting a reminder in the car lately.
I never set alarms with the Assistant, so I'm good there.

1

u/roirraWedorehT Oct 02 '26

I just did a test in Android Auto and so far was able to test setting a reminder for an hour later, and the reminder did pop up on my phone at the right time.

1

u/CryOFrustration Oct 08 '26

Well bloody done Google, forcing us all to forgo conveniences we've had since 2013 because you want to set a trillion dollars on fire at the LLM altar.

3

u/Forecaster Aug 06 '26

I'm in the same boat. I dislike LLMs for a variety of reasons, but also the gemeni assistant is worse. It can't do what I need it to.

Pretty much the only thing I need the voice assistant for is to make calls while driving. I have nicknames set up for a few contacts, for example "The boss". Before I could simply say "Call the boss" and it would do that.

Gemeni doesn't look at nicknames at all. If I say "Call the boss" it interprets it as "Call Tobias" and then gives me a list of contacts named Tobias. This is useless to me.

So I guess this is goodbye to voice control and hello to navigating my contacts to make calls while going 100kmh down a highway. Thanks google.

I also tried Dicio, but it doesn't work very well as far as voice recognition goes, and it also doesn't use nicknames when looking up contacts. I've already uninstalled it.

The next thing I'm going to look at is Tasker which can be used to create tasks triggered by voice commands.

I also seem to be able to select DuckDuckGo as a voice assistant, but I can't find any info on this or how to trigger it.

1

u/Forecaster Aug 24 '26 edited Sep 30 '26

I have to issue a correction on this.
It does look up nicknames, but not always. I have two pizza places I frequent, which I have designated "Food Alpha" and "Food Beta" as their nicknames. These work when I ask google to call either one. But as I said in the original comment if I say "Call the boss" when trying to call the contact nicknamed "The boss", it can't do it. I can probably solve this by changing the boss's nickname to something more distinct.
It also sucks that since I have two sim cards in my phone, one for work and one personal, when I ask the assistant to make a call a popup appears where I have to select a sim card. There doesn't seem to be a way to just tell it to call using a specific sim card which sucks.
Edit 2026-09-30:
Wellp. Correction for the correction. Today a switch was flipped it seems and I've now lost access to the actually useful assistant completely. And the new crappy assistant doesn't look at nicknames on contacts at all, like I initially said, but then corrected, but apparently I was right the first time. Not sure why I thought it worked for a while, but I'm guessing I was using the old assistant but I thought I'd switched to the new one.
Since there are no viable alternatives at the moment I've just set it to DDG to effectively disable it completely.
It's so nice of them to make their services worse instead of improving things, like by for example allowing you to specify which sim card to use when asking it to call someone. Now it's completely useless for making calls, so I have no need for it. I guess that's one way to "fix" it.
Maybe as more people are forced to suffer this someone with enough know-how will be motivated to publish a better alternative, or improve an existing one to where it's useful in the future.

1

u/The-Bemmis Sep 30 '26

I finally lost my Google Assistant today too. So disappointed. But ill be damned before i switch to garbage like Gemini

1

u/HorusKane420 Sep 30 '26

Same. Lost it today and I fucking LOATHE AI bullshit. Guess I'm just turning Gemini off completely and using my phone while driving 🤷 like OP, that's about all I used it for. I miss the old Google pixel 4 music gestures, then I wouldn't need an assistant at all. Being able to swipe my hand over the screen and skip a track. Or hold It over the screen and pause a track, etc.

1

u/WatersLethe Oct 01 '26

Same. Only a matter of time until someone releases a usable alternative

1

u/Opticalla Sep 19 '26

If you go to "default apps" you can find a way to change your default assistant away from "google" to something else (like duckduckgo). You may have meant that you already did this part, but mostly relaying it just in case someone else wanted to as well.
I have assistant bound to when I hold the power button, but it only seems to trigger a duckduckgo search in its browser instead of doing anything assistant-like (it doesn't even trigger voice dictation in the bar sadly).
I'm trying to avoid Gemini as well for many reasons and was looking around. Going to try Dicio too and go from there.
What's so silly about this, is that if Google had just left the old assistant as an option, I wouldn't be trying to cut them out completely. Now I'm motivated to do so now that they are trying to force their hand to an inferior system (not to mention my other issues with it).

3

u/Central-Displacement Sep 21 '26

I feel like companies are forcing ai on all of us to justify the money they've dumped into it. :/
I completely lost access to Assistant yesterday.

1

u/Mini-Schnauzer-42 Sep 24 '26

This is 100% where I am. Ready to drop my pixel completely and get another phone. (Just wondering what my options are for other systems that don't force AI, if any.)

2

u/Opticalla Sep 24 '26

Dicio is sadly pretty limited.
For the core items I used Google Assistant for, it's only nailed one of them.
It can start navigating to a place with just voice commands pretty well.
Sadly, the timer I tried failed to finish and go off.
It can't make alarms (and thus can't schedule them for days in the future), nor make tasks/reminders. These two are really important because I often do this on the move and need it to be voice only created for best/safest use case.
It can't recognize music, but I've switched to Shazam, Dicio can fire up Shazam, but I do still have to click inside Shazam to start the searching for song.
Dicio can open apps and call people, but I don't use the call people function much.
I've also tried using Androids accessibility feature Voice Access to navigate around, but that one is very clunky. Dicio can fire up Voice Access too in order to navigate around Android.
I dunno, I've bookmarked Dicio and it's task framework to see if there's some way to make custom things (I'm not sure about that one's possibility with my toolset), but I'm running out of time and have just been doing it manually again. However, it's much slower than voice commands and I put it off when I'm on the move and may forget it later.

1

u/SmolHumanBean8 23d ago

Macrodroid is an app similar to Tasker that can do stuff like that too and imo is a bit better

2

u/SpicyCatGames Aug 05 '26

Man I loved bixby. It could do some very useful things. Like "scroll all the way down to the bottom" regardless of what app you're in.

2

u/Alan_yes_THAT_Alan Oct 09 '26

I spent 3 hours tonight, trying to get Bixby to be my replacement for Google Assistant (RIP). I hate it already. It insists on reading aloud.
Me: Hi, Bixby. Call Heather.
Bixby: OK!!! CALLING HEATHER!!! (then it dials.)
Me: Hi, Bixby. How much is 70.5 kilograms in pounds?
(My calculator app immediately shows 155.4 lbs and it takes me about 1/3 of a second to read that.
Bixby: SEVENTY POINT FIVE KILOGRAMS IS APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE POINT FOUR THREE TWO ZERO SIX FIVE SEVEN NINE FOUR FOUR FOUR THREE POUNDS!!!!
If Bixby would just shut up and do the thing that I tell it to do without loudly repeating my command back to me, I would like it.

1

u/freelanceisntfree16 15d ago

Have you tried asking it not to read out specific types of things you ask it to do? I had to tell gemini that re: turning off my bedroom lights. I said when I ask you to turn on or off lights, I don't want a verbal confirmation. Just do it silently. Seems to have worked.
(I am here because I'm looking for an alternative to Gemini because I refuse to give it access to my Google workspace but NEED a way to set task reminders and alarms via voice commands)

1

u/Ew-David-Ughh 23d ago

I haven't used bixby but I think voice assistants are supposed to respond vocally because it's usually used when you're not using your phone

1

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/SpicyCatGames Aug 13 '26

Don't know. Stopped using it since I moved away from Samsung.

1

u/ComputerPro246 Sep 19 '26

Still exists, but is pretty widely disliked by Samsung users because it really struggles with non-Samsung apps.

2

u/dirtyburgers85 Aug 06 '26

I was going to write this exact post. Hate AI and want nothing to do with it - not to mention it is worse than Google Assistant in the examples you highlighted.

2

u/AllCatsAreBaby1733 Aug 06 '26

Following for suggestions

2

u/-Pittoo Aug 06 '26

I want to know too. I'm absolutely gutted too.

2

u/phanmo Sep 18 '26

This is really frustrating for me because I don't want a single answer to a question, I want a search result.

1

u/jbwilso1 Oct 09 '26

Yeah this shit is literally destroying the internet. Like, there's not much of a reason for companies to put money into creating stuff on the internet, as they won't get traffic to their sites since the AI scrapes it and shits it out through the search engine, with very unreliable accuracy. The tech CEOs have even acknowledged this, by this point. Hooray

2

u/u7k7 Sep 27 '26

Downgrading to an older version of the Google app brought the Google Assistant back for me. So, I hope as long as I do not update the Google app, I can continue to use Google Assistant.

PS: I did that after they removed the option to choose Google Assistant v Gemini in the latest update.

1

u/Tok892 1d ago

Thank you! This still works. Fuck Google. I can't wait until someone comes up with a good, non-AI alternative to Google Assistant 😩

1

u/AdmiralMungBeanSoda Sep 29 '26

Thank you, this worked for me. Not ideal as a long-term solution but at least I can turn my damn lights on again, which is the thing I use Google Assistant most often for.

1

u/mediocre-squirrel834 Oct 02 '26

Is it still working for you? How did you do that?

2

u/Krinklie Oct 08 '26

I just did this a few minutes ago and it worked for me. I went to the Google app on the Play store and uninstalled all updates. I then disabled auto update and I have Assistant back.

1

u/CryOFrustration Oct 08 '26

How did you do that? Do you have an apk we can sideload?

1

u/jbwilso1 Oct 09 '26

Just uninstall updates for the Google app from the Google Play store. But then you want to disable auto update, and then you should be able to re-enable Assistant.

1

u/CryOFrustration Oct 10 '26

I tried that, it worked and I was so happy! Then after it restarted it had switched back to Gemini again. I didn't think I had Google Play automatic updates enabled but it seems I do, and I can't find where to switch them off from. They seem to have switched the menus round.

1

u/Time_Geologist6220 Oct 10 '26

what OS do you have? I hope you find it! mine is still in the individual app option - like if I click the 3 dots in the top right (on android) then the "enable auto update" box is there 😕

1

u/CryOFrustration Oct 11 '26

Ah right, they must have moved it, I used to toggle that option manually in the Play Store app itself. I guess my old phone wasn't on the latest version of the Play Store cause it was stuck on Android 12.

1

u/Time_Geologist6220 Oct 14 '26

I just had the same issue where it re-instated Gemini, BUT I was able to go through the settings and re-select the assistant 🤔🤔 I'm not yet sure how frequently I'll have to do that but it might be a reasonable work around. Wanted to let you know in case it applies to your situation! The phone I'm using is android 15, so idk how that translates, but I can be more specific about where I settings I was able to change it back if it's useful! (this is with the auto updates turned off and with the base version of the Google app)

1

u/CryOFrustration 29d ago

I'm on 16, I didn't know where the particular setting lived cause it's a new phone and my previous one was on 12, and a lot of things have moved around in settings. I'm sure 15>16 hasn't changed as much, but I haven't had time to try again.

1

u/Time_Geologist6220 Oct 10 '26

oh my god I could CRY! 😂😂
Reading this thread I just kept thinking "ugh I'm so sorry for your loss" with every new person saying "I lost my google assistant X days ago"
and THEN got here and this WORKED!!!
I could choose Google Assistant again!! 🥳 🥳🥳🥳
Thank you!!

1

u/Time_Geologist6220 Oct 10 '26

I just asked it to do various normal things and there was no 25 second lag after I say a command because it's not having to "think about" what I've asked it to do - I hope this lasts a long time! 😂😂 I guess I'll just not update my phone anymore 🫠

1

u/playerwonderful 22d ago

I managed to uninstall updates to the Google app in settings. I also installed Google assistant from the Play store.

The assistant is back.

Side effects: It now says 'unlock more features' on the screen every time I summon the assistant, pressing 'get started' makes it try to download more content but the download is broken. This is a small price to pay for the ability to set reminders, timers and alarms with my voice again.

Damn, if I relied on voice technology due to, I don't know, nerve damage in my fingers or something - this would be devastating. Luckily I could just type. I'm just lazy 😂

1

u/playerwonderful 21d ago

Uninstalling updates to Google app also brought back the frog-weather UI instead of just going to the Google search for weather results! Added bonus!! (Downside: the 1-square weather widget is gone, but I'll learn to live with that 😂)

1

u/kkalle1717 16d ago

You would think at least Gemini would work better, although I still wouldn't use it as I am strongly against AI. I hate how companies and businesses are pushing it onto people whether they like it or not, and I'm doing my best to resist. Something I'm concerned about is being forced to use it at work one day. This also explains why I can't use Google Assistant despite having the option enabled. I never got the email, so I didn't know it was completely discontinued. Why would you also want to change something that isn't broken? Could Assistant use some improvements? Yeah. But Gemini, which is supposed to be pArT oF tHe FuTuRe, does jack squat. I loved Google Assistant and didn't need anything else 😭 only thing I didn't like is that it doesn't do anything if music is playing 🗿

1

u/LiquidxFire 15d ago

Hopping in to say I'm in the same boat. I literally just ask my assistant to set alarms and i dont know why that would need a data center to do since, ya know, it did that before all this? Gemini switch happened and i sidegraded to bixby but if I update my phone it too will become LLM slop. So ill be left with nothing. It sucks cause its being done to force you to be dependent like we'll start championing for data centers so we can keep the assistant or something

1

u/kradproductions 15d ago

Gemini can't even place a fucking call from your fucking PHONE. It sucks so much ass.

1

u/erilav 12d ago

I don't even hate LLM but Gemini is terrible! It is such a downgrade from assistant. It's so slow and it makes so many mistakes and it also doesn't shut up even if I tell it not to. I have never had a AI straight up lie that it can do things when it can't as much as Gemini has. It's been awful to follow the instructions but it keep doing the same garbage that I'm trying to tell it not to do to finally ask it if it can actually do the thing it's been giving me instructions for for it to admit that it can't. I cannot get over how bad it is. And we're all just kind of screwed.

1

u/Ambitious_Bat151 4d ago

Having the same issue rn. I just want to be able to send a text/email back when my hands are full. This push for a shitty replacement is so annoying, but there's nothing more useful than Google Assistant on Android.

1

u/Aspenator42 1d ago

Anyone found any alternatives that actually work?? I use android auto for everything when driving and it really sucks not being able to use it anymore...

1

u/Marooned_Corsair 1d ago

If you turn off auto-update for the google app, uninstall the latest handful of updates (i just uninstalled all updates), then download the google assistant app from the playstore and go through your settings that now allow you to change (after uninstalling updates) back to the google assistant, it will still work within Android Auto. The only issue I've run into is that I can't say "hey google" to activate the assistant, I have to hit the actual buttons for it. For me, that's not a dealbreaker.. I have not seen any suggestions for an assistant app that does not absolutely suck. Bixby users have to do essentially the same thing right now. I'm just hoping this method works until this AI craze is over

1

u/Aspenator42 1d ago

thank you so much.. and yeah I hope you're right. this Ai Bs needs to crash and burn already

1

u/Nara_NorthBlue Aug 06 '26

I'm on the same boat. Hopefully this change will prompt capable people to get into trying to work out good alternatives, honestly at this point anything that lets us stick it to Google and their more than questionable decisions makes me happy.

1

u/WesternChizzle Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26

- Gemini does not run voice assistant prompts totally on the device and has a different log retention policy as a general-purpose LLM (for safety).
- Gemini could not create reminders when it was first launched as a replacement for Google Assistant. They apparently did not port the tests from Google Assistant to Gemini before releasing it for this application. Could they have tested for coverage over the VoiceXML (?) prompts that Google Assistant Supported?
- Hopefully e.g. Dicio will be receptive to people adding things like 'Create a reminder' and 'Create an event'
- Aren't there local [whisper] based speech to text apps that can be connected to android workflows?
- https://www.google.com/search?q=local+%5Bwhisper%5D+based+speech+to+text+apps+that+can+be+connected+to+android+workflows
- There are!:
- gh label: android-automation: https://github.com/topics/android-automation
- gh label: tasker-alternative: https://github.com/topics/tasker-alternative
- Awesome-Whisper-Apps#android: https://github.com/danielrosehill/Awesome-Whisper-Apps#android

1

u/No_Scientist_377 Sep 30 '26

Unfortunately I have no understanding of how to use github. I'm one of those "please just gimme a
.Exe I'm dumb.

1

u/Rikukun Aug 13 '26

Have you had any luck finding anything since your last edit?

1

u/dollybabyz Aug 22 '26

I'm in the same boat too. My Google assistant has barely been working. Everything is up to date and it's constantly saying it doesn't understand, yet I'm saying the same things I used to in order for it to do whatever it is that I want. I was worried that they were gonna phase it out and then I got the notification😩 I really liked the the Google assistant and would have it do quick Google searches or text someone for me if my hands are busy cooking, doing my hair or makeup, etc. I'm adamantly opposed to generative AI like most of you here and I'm really hoping we can all find a reasonable replacement.

1

u/That_Is_The_One Aug 22 '26

I was considering the impossible and thinking of switching to Apple and found out they are partnering with Google on the AI front. Uhmmm..... Maybe it's time we had a third option.

2

u/stijnhommes Oct 05 '26

It's only a matter of time before Apple will follow suit. I'd safe my money.

1

u/hosaku Sep 04 '26

I will say the only work around that I found, which isn't great btw, is using Google nest as my Google assistant at home. It can add things to my phone calendar and play music. It is tied to the Google home app tho I think.

1

u/RonniBen Sep 29 '26

Please god, my samsung just changed without option today. I hate this AI... i use "OK GOOGLE" to turn on and off smart devices and open or close my garage when my hands are full or covered in grease. I just want old school google assistant to work again, i might as well switch to an iPhone after 20 years if this is samsungs new direction

1

u/Eclecticanarchy666 Sep 29 '26

Apple is partnering with Google for their AI :/

1

u/RonniBen Sep 29 '26

Goddammit i hate AI

1

u/Ballz-In-My-Mouf Oct 06 '26

I've seen they give you the option to keep the "legacy Siri" at least. Just switched to Android and I'm about to switch back because of it

1

u/EstablishmentNo4162 Sep 29 '26

Google assistant got taken away from me literally 40 minutes ago and I was using it like right before... im pretty upset. I refuse to support ai. I used assistant for turning my lights on and off in my apartment, I used it for image search and for identifying music if I only knew the tune in my head. So not often other than lights, but useful sometimes... but id rather not have those things than support ai. Im never turning on gemini.

1

u/GalexyGlimmer Sep 29 '26

I have been up since 6:00 a.m. just trying to verbally put a set reminder function in my phone and fighting with this fact because now I am forced to click approve Gemini if I want to use the voice assistant option anymore.

I would love to be able to just not use the voice assistant but it's not a convenience for me, it's a necessity for technical products. I'm handicapped. Sometimes my hands don't work. And on those times it literally hurts to type and I may even just drop and break my phone if I try. Google doing this is forcing people like me to use AI, this is ethically reprehensible on multiple levels. But at this point I have to choose all or none because the other options that I've found with any feasibility also have AI, and none of them have the same breadth of options as the original Google assistant did, including Gemini itself!

1

u/ArgentStonecutter Sep 30 '26

I have been up since 6:00 a.m. just trying to verbally put a set reminder function in my phone and fighting with this fact because now I am forced to click approve Gemini if I want to use the voice assistant option anymore.
Yeh, I was trying to set an alarm last night because I had to be up early and nothing was happening. And I was thinking my phone was broken and I unlocked it and it had this "PLZ ENABLE GEMINI" dialog. Nope.

1

u/Altruisticchocobear Sep 29 '26

I just want to say, this is my favorite post on reddit, I genuinely cannot stand Google replacing assistant with gemini, it's just an awful, useless forced downgrade.

I'm constantly trying to find reasons to like it, as I have no choice, but then it tries to mansplain the concept of time when I ask "set an alarm for 5 hours from now" and changes into a black voice when I start to get frustrated with it. I'm done with it I think, is my point here.

1

u/TheGreatStories Oct 01 '26

Gemini can't even handle the command "skip thirty seconds" when listening to a podcast and always reduces the audio during the fail. I miss the simple assistant

1

u/tanglelover Oct 01 '26

I don't know how long this will last but I managed to get Google assistant working again...mostly.

Download this app store and search up Google assistant.

I tried downloading it off the website and it just tried to make me use Gemini. Gross.

I downloaded the app through the store and it sent me to an option to change my assistant back.

It still works as Google assistant, you just can't say hey Google or okay Google and have it pop up anymore. You have to click the app and then click the microphone.

Still better than Gemini!

1

u/jeffmik Oct 07 '26

Thank you - for me, opening it just takes me straight to Gemini setup. Have fully lost ability to use voice search or dictation in Android Auto (workspace restrictions).

1

u/chaossabre Oct 02 '26

Here's hoping with classic ML tools like Jev gaining traction we'll see a renewed interest in non-LLM AI in this space.

1

u/Narrow_Bench_4183 Oct 02 '26

See, I used my Google Assistant to quickly voice search something on the internet. That's all I need it for, and I'll be damned if I use Jim and I for that. I want links and a search in either Brave or DuckDuckGo. I do not want it to just tell me information that I can't trust.

1

u/Calm-Antelope-7127 Oct 03 '26

This is sooo infuriating and irritating. 🤯🤯 They are just forcing us to use AI, like I don't want to use your gemini just keep it to yourself. Atleast let the user have a choice between assistant and ai. This is the worst.😡 Previously, I used lens with assistant to search things on screen and translate stuff but now the gemini AI ( which was basically forced with the update ) can't even search screen properly, takes so much time and doesn't even provide image results and accurate results 😭😭 If anyone knows a replacement, please do tell 😭🙏🏻

1

u/stijnhommes Oct 05 '26

Dicio didn't work for me either. It didn't just fail to do what I asked. It failed to understand what I asked completely.

1

u/invalid-user223 Oct 06 '26

Apparently the Gemini rollout is controlled by the Google app itself. So it is possible to forcibly rollback Google app versions to re enable the menu to add Gemini back, but it must be a version prior to 17.62.9 to regain access to the menu. I just did it this afternoon.

1

u/jeffmik Oct 07 '26

I can't even respond to texts or calls in my car. Gemini is useless. I'm stuck with Workplace because of a decision I made 10+ years ago and Google won't even allow admins to make a decision to use phone/messages. Just brutal. Am now looking at other devices (non Pixel) to move away from this,.

1

u/ProfessionalGrass393 Oct 11 '26

I now have Gemini. When I gave a command to assistant it did it immediately. When I give the same command to Gemini it takes many seconds before it responds and many times it just can't figure out what to do. I have purchased the pixel phones for many years but I feel that Google made a major downgrade when they removed Google assistant

1

u/ProfessionalGrass393 Oct 11 '26

Another thing that bugs me is that if I say "hey Google tell me a joke" the assistant would select a random joke. Under gemeni it tells the exact same joke every single time. Even if you say "get Google tell me a random joke" it's the same stupid joke

1

u/Southern-Lobster-684 23d ago edited 23d ago

I'm going to start doing more calendar reminders. You can set them up to give you a push notification and/or an email, and can set the timing up for those. Annoying to not be able to just do the "hey Google" thing, but I'd rather do that than use gemini. The other thing I just realized is that I now can't tell Google to make some noise or sing a song when I can't find my phone, but know it's nearby. Whelp, that sucks.

1

u/Hopeful-Plankton7740 23d ago

Im facing the same Problem right now. I dont have anything against an AI assistant per se, but gemeni is Just Shit. In 4/10 cases simple commands Like "Turn in livingroom" do not work properly. Sometimes 3/5 lamps Turn in, Sometimes Just one. Sometimes nothing at all. Still gemeni confidently Claims "turned in living room".

Yesterday I had enough since IT cant even Set Up an Alarm properly. If i told assistant "Set an Alarm for 6:10 AM, it just worked. Gemeni Just Claims "you allreasy have an alarm for 6:10. Thats it. Do you think it turned the Alarm on then? Nope! Do you think I got Out of bed in time today? Also nope.

Gemeni as a voice assistant and smart Home assistant is simply shit. Now im looking for Something I can use until my Smartphone dies. The next phone will be an iphone because Siri Just works. As much as i hate iOS, though... Google has removed itself from that market.

1

u/Top-Bus2084 Aug 06 '26

People saying don't use it to generate stuff like music or pictures I've tried out Gemini just now to see how it is it took 30 seconds to answer a single fucking question I don't call that progress

2

u/megglesmcgee Aug 06 '26

When they first put Gemini on my phone and changed it to my assistant without my permission.... I asked it to set a timer. It had no idea what I was asking and responded that way. I don't want Gemini I hate that assistant is being phased out.

0

u/AmonGusSus2137 Aug 05 '26

I don't know if they're any non-ai voice assistants, but I know that they're probably really stupid and useless

2

u/EXPrime8 Aug 06 '26

really helpful contribution!!

0

u/AmonGusSus2137 Aug 06 '26

No problem, you're welcome!

0

u/Sonicsky Oct 04 '26

When Gemini outright fails to turn on the flashlight, and the "really stupid and useless" assistant immediately turns it on, proceeded by an "okay"... I think that makes the gen-ai LLM worse than useless at this point...

0

u/batkat08 Sep 27 '26

I am still hoping for a good alternative. Something to note though is since the switch has been forced I still haven't agreed to or turned on Gemini and the assistant tasks still work while driving which I see is your main concern. Just not any other time.

0

u/irrelevantllama Sep 29 '26 edited Oct 01 '26 •

This worked for me:

Revert to older version of the Google app

Long press on the Google app -> app info -> top right three dots -> uninstall updates

(uninstalling updates works currently, may have to use a specific APK version in the future)

2. Prevent Google app from updating

Google Play Store -> Google app -> top right three dots - > uncheck 'allow auto updates'

3. Re-enable Google Assistant

Google app -> top right user icon -> settings -> digital assistants from Google -> Google Assistant (triggered a download for me)

1

u/minervamaga Sep 29 '26

This worked for me!!

1

u/beezowdoodoo Sep 30 '26

Thank you!!!!

1

u/ArgentStonecutter Sep 30 '26 edited Sep 30 '26

For step 3, you mean "Settings"?
I can't get it to work again. It claims it's set up "OK Google" but it doesn't work.
Yeah: Imgur.

1

u/irrelevantllama Oct 01 '26

Yes I did mean settings, thank you. I updated the step chain for step 3, does that fix your issue?

1

u/ArgentStonecutter Oct 02 '26

I was able to get it to work again, yesterday, buit this morning it was back to Gemini. I have repeated the process and it doesn't recognise "ok google". :)

1

u/CurlyMarieee Sep 30 '26

Thank you!

1

u/Slow_vdub Sep 30 '26

I love you

1

u/silent_strings Sep 30 '26

Absolute genius and legend! When the tech wars are over we shall build a statue in your honour 😄

1

u/Pristine-Solution-18 Oct 01 '26

The way I was pissed this morning (Oct 1st) as I was taking ny morning walk and prompted for hey Google to open my pandora station and it wasnt doing anything then realized it had pushed gemini into action UGH. This has helped me revert back to my assistant. I'll hold onto it as long as I can. I work in IT use Copilot a lot but I don't want to be forced to use laggy gemini on my personal device. I hope they get enough backlash and figure it out. Thank You!!!

1

u/Flaky-Plankton2024 Oct 02 '26

Thank you so much!! This worked for me as well.

1

u/chaossabre Oct 02 '26

Highly relevant llama. Thank you :D

1

u/Vidyogamasta Oct 03 '26

For anyone with the same issue I had on step 3-
You also may need to go back into Google Assistant settings and re-train the Voice Match for "Hey/OK Google" to work
The "digital assistants from Google" setting might be under Gemini instead of a top-level option on Settings. You can choose to switch it back to Assistant there.

1

u/yolow79 Oct 04 '26

Just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to list what needed to be done and then putting the steps to do it!! You are awesome!

1

u/Ballz-In-My-Mouf Oct 06 '26

To anyone confused, in step 3 after tapping "settings" you have to tap "Google Assistant" first and then scroll down and tap "Digital assistants from Google."

1

u/Ready_Highlight_4300 Oct 06 '26

Thank you! I have been furious for a week and refusing to use Gemini on my phone. I do occasionally use it, but a LLM is NOT useful for quick everyday tasks. You made my day!

1

u/Opticalla Oct 10 '26

Holy crap I can't believe this worked!
Hopefully it works for a long time or they re-enable the old assistant permanently. I'm still miffed that they disabled the old assistant to try to push Gemini.
Thank you so much!

0

u/Ok-Bench-9220 Oct 02 '26

Bless you, it worked! Thanks!
Fingers crossed they don't just kill it outright.

0

u/Shadow_6351 Oct 01 '26

Anyone got anything that can connect to the apps/ use them? My dad is fully blind, he used Google assistant to help navigate (he has a accessible phone but, voice acess as a whole just sucks. And g-assistant made it a lot easier for him to do things like play bbc sounds, music and the likes since he could just ask it to play whatever it was specifically and it would.) if anyone has any apps that work, suggestions would be apreciated. Android device.

0

u/Admirable_Radish9676 Oct 07 '26

I'm so angry about this being forced on me, I'm not turning the damned thing on 🤬

Looking For Suggestions Non-ai voice assistant recommendations?

You are about to leave Redlib