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On Wed, 12 Mar, 12:12 AM UTC
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Perplexity's AI assistant is reverting to Google on some Android phones
I don't use Chrome, Firefox, or Arc on Android: Here's what I use instead Summary Perplexity AI is investigating user reports of Android devices automatically reverting default assistant settings to Google Assistant or Gemini, raising questions about potential bugs or platform interference. Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas's X post prompted numerous users to share experiences of unexpected assistant switches, while others report no issues, indicating the problem's scope is unclear. The root cause of the reported assistant resets remains undetermined, necessitating further investigation and user feedback. San Francisco, California-based Perplexity AI has gained solid ground since its inception in 2022, going head-to-head with the likes of Gemini and ChatGPT when it comes to AI chatbots and assistants, and Google Search when it comes to search engines. Not only does Perplexity allow you to run its default model Sonar, it also lets you switch between GPT-4.5, GPT-4o, Claude 3.7 Sonnet, Gemini 2.0 Flash, and more. On the smartphone front, the company recently expanded into the Android voice assistant game, complete with power-button gesture support. Related Perplexity's Android assistant debuts with live view and on-screen context support Challenging the good ol' Google Assistant and Gemini Posts 3 The AI assistant can do a lot -- it is aware of on-screen context, offers live view support, which means it can detect what your phone's camera is pointed towards, it can play music on your default service, offer summarization and writing help, and most importantly, supports action-chaining -- alongside a trove of other features that we've come to expect from smart assistants. The Perplexity app has over 10 million downloads on Android, and rightfully so, a subset of those users have switched over to the Perplexity Assistant. However, recent reports suggest that user devices are automatically reverting to Google Assistant or Gemini (via TechIssuesToday). For what it's worth, this isn't likely to be nefarious behavior on Google's part and rather just a bug with Android and/or Perplexity, though users are, understandably, frustrated. This isn't a universal issue Perplexity's CEO Aravind Srinivas shared a post on X (Twitter), saying that he's "hearing incidents of Google secretly switching the assistant back to Google from Perplexity without the Perplexity user's consent." Several users chimed in the post's reply, with many stating that they've observed the behavior. "Switches back after every update and restart. Thought it was normal!" said one user, while a different user said "Dismissed it as just some weird quirk with my phone. Nice to [know] I'm not the only one." Such reports aren't completely new -- users have reported their device automatically switching back to Google Assistant since January and February. The problem doesn't seem to be universal though. I set Perplexity as the default assistant on a secondary device when I wrote about it landing on Android back on January 14. That device still defaults to Perplexity when I tap and hold the power button. Some users on Srinivas' X post also echoed the same sentiment. The issue has only now come into the spotlight, with potential resolutions and a call for testing to now commence.
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Perplexity Assistant users are left perplexed by issue causing Gemini to replace it
Earlier this year, Perplexity released its AI agent, Perplexity Assistant, on Android. Since its launch, Perplexity Assistant has been giving Gemini and Google Assistant a run for their money with over 10 million downloads on the Google Play Store. Although some users have switched over to Perplexity's product, it appears an issue is causing them to unintentionally switch back to Gemini or Google Assistant. Multiple Perplexity users are reporting (via TechIssuesToday) that their devices are automatically reverting to Google Assistant or Gemini. One user on X (formerly Twitter) claims "Switches back after every update and restart. Thought it was normal!" Another user on Reddit says, "Perplexity brought an assistant update. I checked it last night; it was working properly, but when I saw it in the morning, it automatically changed in Google Assistant."
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Perplexity AI is investigating reports of Android devices automatically reverting from Perplexity Assistant to Google Assistant or Gemini, raising questions about potential bugs or platform interference.
Perplexity AI, a San Francisco-based company that has gained significant traction since its inception in 2022, is currently investigating reports of its AI assistant being unexpectedly replaced by Google Assistant or Gemini on some Android devices. This issue has sparked concerns among users and raised questions about potential bugs or platform interference 1.
Perplexity AI has been making waves in the AI industry, competing with established players like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Google Search. The company's Android app, which has garnered over 10 million downloads, recently expanded into the voice assistant market with features such as:
These features have positioned Perplexity Assistant as a strong challenger to Google Assistant and Gemini in the Android ecosystem 1.
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas brought attention to the issue through a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he had heard of "incidents of Google secretly switching the assistant back to Google from Perplexity without the Perplexity user's consent." This prompted numerous users to share similar experiences 2.
User reports indicate various scenarios:
However, the problem doesn't appear to be universal. Some users, including tech journalists, report no issues with their Perplexity Assistant settings remaining intact 1.
While the root cause of these unexpected switches remains unclear, initial assessments suggest it's unlikely to be intentional behavior on Google's part. Instead, it may be attributed to a bug within Android or the Perplexity app itself 1.
The inconsistent nature of the problem has made it challenging to pinpoint the exact cause or extent of the issue. Perplexity AI is now actively investigating the matter and has called for user feedback and testing to help resolve the situation 2.
This incident highlights the competitive landscape of AI assistants on Android devices. As newer players like Perplexity AI challenge established giants such as Google, issues like these can significantly impact user trust and adoption rates. The situation underscores the importance of reliability and user control in the AI assistant market, especially as these tools become increasingly integrated into daily smartphone use 1 2.
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A comparison between Perplexity AI and Google's Gemini reveals Perplexity's superior performance in accuracy, detail, and user experience, positioning it as a preferred AI tool for search and research.
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