In a recent development, OpenAI is set to revolutionize the accessibility of its popular ChatGPT on Android devices by introducing a new feature that allows users to set the AI chatbot as their default digital assistant and launch it at the press of a button.
According to a report from Android Authority, the latest version of ChatGPT for Android includes a new activity named ‘com.openai.voice.assistant.AssistantActivity.’ This feature enables users to designate ChatGPT as their default assistant. When manually enabled, an unobtrusive overlay, similar to the app’s voice chat mode, appears on the screen, minimizing disruption to the user experience.
However, the report suggests that this feature is still a work in progress, as some animations appeared incomplete, and the activity closed itself prematurely before the chatbot interface fully materialized. Notably, the ChatGPT app for Android currently lacks a tag that allows it to replace the default digital assistant app seamlessly.
For users accustomed to the traditional button navigation method, invoking the default digital assistant can be achieved by long-pressing the home button. With the upcoming integration of Google’s AI chatbot Bard into Google Assistant, OpenAI seems to be actively working on refining ChatGPT’s functionality to ensure users don’t feel the need to switch.
Developers are also reportedly working on introducing a ChatGPT quick tile on Android, accessible from the quick settings panel. However, insights from the app’s code suggest that this quick tile feature might be limited to ChatGPT Plus subscribers.
Drawing parallels with the iPhone 15 Pro series’ ‘Action button,’ which enables users to perform tasks with a single click, including launching ChatGPT, OpenAI’s new functionality for Android users will allow them to access ChatGPT swiftly by long-pressing the power button. This move underscores OpenAI’s commitment to enhancing user convenience and ensuring that ChatGPT remains at the forefront of AI-powered digital assistance.
