Android 16 could introduce notification 'Magic Actions' powered by Gemini
TL;DR Google may be developing 'Magic Actions' for Android, an AI-powered enhancement to notification actions that could leverage the Gemini AI model.
This new feature, which we spotted in Android 16 code, aims to replace the current Smart Actions, and could offer more personalized and powerful contextual shortcuts within notifications.
Magic Actions will receive some sort of special visual treatment and will be generated by the Android System Intelligence app.
Notifications offer a quick way to get key information and messages without opening another app or unlocking your device. Depending on the notification's content, Android shows suggested replies or shortcuts, making it easier to take action. For example, if a friend texts you a restaurant's location, Android recognizes the shared address and provides a button to open it directly in Maps. Google may soon enhance Android's notification system further by leveraging its Gemini AI model.
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This evolution will build on existing features. The 2018 Android 9 release introduced Smart Reply, which provides suggested replies as tappable chips beneath a notification for quick responses. Android 10 expanded this with Smart Actions, offering contextual actions based on notification content. This Smart Actions feature is what powers the 'Open Maps' chip when a notification includes an address.
An example of a Smart Action in Android 10. Source: Google.
While both Smart Replies and Smart Actions are generated by the system's Notification Assistant Service using on-device machine learning models, their current implementation has limitations. Smart Replies often provide short, canned responses that might not always be appropriate in context. Similarly, while Smart Actions offer useful shortcuts, they can lack nuanced understanding and only support simple actions.
Android Authority has spotted evidence within Android 16 suggesting Google is developing a more advanced version of Smart Actions, dubbed 'Magic Actions.' While the exact improvements 'Magic Actions' will offer over current Smart Actions remain unclear, the code indicates it's a direct replacement. When the Magic Action feature is enabled, Android will hide Smart Actions and instead prominently display a new Magic Action button. This button is slated to receive 'special visual treatment,' possibly indicating a custom animation when it appears or is tapped.
Like Smart Actions, Magic Actions will be generated by the system's Notification Assistant Service, part of the Android System Intelligence app on most devices. We speculate that Android System Intelligence will tap into Google's Gemini model to generate more personalized and powerful actions. For instance, if you receive a notification from an airline about a flight cancellation due to bad weather, a Magic Action could appear, offering to call the airline's customer service, even if the notification itself doesn't include a phone number. With deeper integration, it's even conceivable that the feature could offer to draft an email to your booked hotel, informing them of your need to adjust the booking due to the flight change.
Google could leverage Gemini in numerous ways to offer more intelligent, personalized notification actions, though specific rollout plans remain unknown. If our predictions about its capabilities are accurate, Magic Actions would represent a major upgrade over the existing Smart Actions. Such an advancement would make the 'Magic' moniker quite fitting, aligning with Google's suite of AI-powered features like Magic Eraser and Magic Editor.
The Magic Action feature isn't the only AI-driven notification upgrade anticipated for Android. Google also appears to be working on AI-powered notification summaries and Gmail-style bundled notifications to help users more easily manage their alerts. While Google didn't unveil these at The Android Show: I/O Edition earlier this week, it wouldn't be surprising to see them showcased next week at the main Google I/O event. After all, Google has already teased more Android news for next week and will undoubtedly have a wealth of Gemini updates to share. These three features perfectly illustrate how Gemini can enhance Android's intelligence, making them prime candidates for an I/O reveal.
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