BreakthroughsThursday, March 12, 2026· 2 min read

Gemini Task Automation Arrives — Phones Now Order Food and Hail Rides for You

Source: The Verge AI

TL;DR

Google's Gemini task automation has entered beta on flagship devices, letting the assistant operate apps in a virtual window to handle tasks like food delivery and rideshares. This is a practical step toward everyday AI assistants that save time and make smartphones more helpful.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Gemini task automation is now rolling out in beta on devices like the Samsung S26 and Google Pixel 10.
  • 2The feature runs apps in a virtual window so the assistant can complete tasks such as ordering food or booking rides on your behalf.
  • 3This move represents a real-world deployment of longtime AI assistant promises, bringing tangible convenience to users.
  • 4Starting with delivery and rideshare apps, the capability is positioned to expand to more apps and workflows over time.

Gemini’s task automation starts doing the heavy lifting

Google’s Gemini task automation has begun rolling out in beta on recent flagship phones, letting the assistant operate apps in a virtual window to complete real tasks for you. Early support focuses on food delivery and rideshare apps, so you can ask Gemini to order dinner or get a car to the airport and watch your phone do the clicking and form-filling itself.

This is more than a novelty — it’s a practical step toward assistants that handle multi-step chores. Rather than just giving suggestions or links, Gemini can interact with app interfaces and follow prompts you give it, taking care of the routine decisions and steps that usually eat up time.

Why it matters:

  • It turns vague promises about helpful assistants into tangible actions people can actually use every day.
  • Automating repetitive app tasks saves time and lowers friction for common services like food delivery and transportation.
  • Because it runs on recent devices in a controlled beta, Google can refine safety, permissions, and app coverage before wider rollout.

While still early, this rollout shows how generative AI is shifting from conversation to capable action. As Gemini expands to more apps and refines its understanding of user intent and controls, this style of automation could become a routine convenience on millions of phones.

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