Gemini Unleashes Exciting New Task Automation Features

A couple of weeks back, Google and Samsung unveiled an exciting new feature for their latest devices: task automation. Kicking off with food delivery and rideshare apps, this Gemini system can handle tasks like ordering dinner or booking a ride to the airport through a virtual interface, all triggered by simple prompts. It’s the kind of functionality we’ve been hearing about for years regarding AI assistants. When I first started testing the S26 Ultra, this feature wasn’t available, but it recently rolled out in beta with an update. Watching your phone operate autonomously is definitely a strange experience!

My first command was straightforward: order an Uber to the airport. Gemini sought clarification on which airport to use (a smart move!), then proceeded to navigate through a few steps independently: it added the destination and skipped the airline selection, which isn’t necessary at my local airport since everything is in one terminal. True to its word, the system paused before finalizing the request, allowing me to review the details before confirming the ride.

A more complex request, like ordering a coffee and a croissant, required a bit more input from me and took Gemini some time to sift through Starbucks’ drink options. However, it successfully located the flat white on the menu. It also faced a key choice: should the chocolate croissant be warmed or served straight from the pastry case? Without needing my input, it correctly opted for the warmed pastry. That’s quite impressive for an assistant that just a year ago struggled with basic details on my calendar.

I still have plenty of testing to do with this automation feature and plan to challenge it with various tasks in the coming days. So far, it’s exciting to see this feature in action, functioning as promised.