Katarzyna Petru
Google is introducing a significant change in the way artificial intelligence is used on Android smartphones. Gemini can now operate in split screen mode, alongside other apps. This means that users no longer need to exit their email, browser, or messaging app to access AI assistance. The assistant appears in a separate panel and works in the context of what we currently see on the screen. This is a step towards a more "embedded" artificial intelligence within the system, which supports real-time work instead of functioning as a separate application.
AI is no longer a separate window
Until now, using AI assistants on the phone has looked similar: you open the chat, type in a command, copy the result, and return to your app. Google's new solution changes this pattern.
Gemini can now operate alongside another app in split-screen mode. In practice, this means:
assistance in editing emails and messages in real-time,
summarising articles without closing the browser,
generating responses in messengers based on the visible conversation,
quickly refining texts without copying them to a separate window.
AI is becoming part of the workflow, not an add-on running "alongside".
Less Switching, More Productivity
The biggest change is the reduction of so-called "context switching." The user no longer needs to copy content to a separate AI application and return with the generated text. Gemini analyses what’s currently on the screen and responds without interrupting work.
This is particularly useful for:
students working on source materials,
professionals writing emails and reports,
users analysing long documents,
anyone who wants to respond to messages faster.
Although at first glance the change seems minor, in daily use it can significantly speed up the execution of routine tasks.
New direction in mobile AI design
The Google movement fits into a broader trend. Technology companies are increasingly stopping to treat artificial intelligence as a separate product and are starting to build it directly into the operating system. Microsoft is experimenting with AI in Windows applications, Apple is developing its own solutions in iOS, and Google is already showcasing one of the most advanced examples of contextual AI integration in Android.
Split-screen with Gemini is just the beginning. In the future, developers may provide more sophisticated integrations that will allow the assistant to understand data even better within specific applications.
The feature is currently being gradually rolled out, and not all devices and applications support it. However, the direction is clear – AI is meant to operate in the background and assist in real-time, rather than waiting for a command in a separate window. If this model takes off, the smartphone will cease to be just a collection of apps and will become a work environment supported by an intelligent, contextual assistant. And this could be one of the more significant changes in the mobile world of AI in the coming years.
źródło: digitaltrends.com
