Google tests Proactive Assistance feature for Gemini

2026-04-28 · Source: Dataconomy · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Emerging Technologies & Innovation, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

Google is developing "Proactive Assistance" for its Gemini platform, a feature designed to provide context-aware suggestions based on user activity. This functionality integrates data from on-screen content, notifications, and selected applications like Contacts, Messages, Gmail, and Calendar. All data processing occurs on-device within an encrypted environment, ensuring it is not used for AI training or human review, thus prioritizing user privacy. Proactive Assistance builds upon the earlier "Personal Intelligence" feature by offering timely suggestions proactively, rather than solely in response to user inquiries. Users maintain control over activating or deactivating the feature and selecting which apps feed data into it, with initial support for Contacts and Messages, and planned integration for Gmail and Calendar.

Key takeaway

For product managers developing AI-powered assistance features, your design should prioritize on-device data processing and explicit user control over data sources. This approach, exemplified by Google's Proactive Assistance, builds trust and addresses privacy concerns, which are critical for user adoption and regulatory compliance in sensitive application areas.

Key insights

Google's Proactive Assistance offers on-device, context-aware suggestions from user data, prioritizing privacy.

Principles

• On-device processing enhances user privacy.
• Contextual awareness improves AI utility.

Method

Proactive Assistance processes current screen content, notifications, and permitted app data (Contacts, Messages, Gmail, Calendar) on-device to generate timely, relevant suggestions.

In practice

• Integrate on-device data processing.
• Offer granular user control over data sources.

Topics

• Google Gemini
• Proactive Assistance
• On-device Processing
• User Privacy
• Context-aware Suggestions

Best for: Product Manager, AI Product Manager, Tech Journalist, General Interest

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Dataconomy.