Has your Google Assistant become an absolute mess in the past two weeks?

PaulQ

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2011
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I posted this in the Google forums and have left at least a half a dozen pieces of feedback in the Google app over the past week but then I realized, I usually get so much more info in this forum.

For at least two weeks, the Google Assistant accessed via voice on my Pixel has been an absolute, chaotic mess. I mostly use it through the Android Auto app (not built in to my car) but I am getting similar issues if I access with a squeeze.

It is totally unhelpful more than half the time. I have my Assistant set to a male voice but it sounds like I have a feuding couple living in my phone - I get responses in traditional Google female and/or in my selected male voice. Today, it did something even worse - I did the squeeze and asked it to open Google Maps and it told me the maps app wasn't installed... ?!?!?

This all used to work quite well, I would say 90% of the time. Now, I expect it to fail and I'm surprised when it works.

Here are the examples I posted on the Google forum. I am curious if any of you have noticed a significant drop in "intellegence" in your Goolge Assistant.

--------------------------

ME: Hey google, remind me to buy milk at 5pm
RESPONSE IN FEMALE VOICE: What's the reminder?
ME: Buy milk
RESPONSE IN MALE VOICE: When do you want to be reminded?
ME: 5pm
...then nothing.

OR....

ME: Hey google, call John Smith mobile
RESPONSE IN FEMALE VOICE: Who do you want to call?
ME: John Smith
RESPONSE IN MAIL VOICE: Here is the location of the nearest T-Mobile store.

OR...

ME: Hey google, send a text message to Mary Jones
RESPONSE IN FEMALE VOICE: Who do you want to text?
ME: Mary Jones
RESPONSE IN MALE VOICE: Work or mobile
ME: Mobile
RESPONSE IN MALE VOICE: What's the message?
ME: I'll be there in 15 minutes
RESPONSE IN FEMALE VOICE: What's the message?
ME: I'll be there in 15 minutes
...then nothing.
 
All I usually use it for is hands free calling and texting, I left the voice at the default female setting..... I haven't noticed any issues. But I have read of several other people who changed the default voice and had the exact same issues as you. Sounds like a bug that needs to be fixed, I'm sure Google will roll out a fix for us ;-)
 
No issues with my GA. I use the female American voice and don't ask it to do much. Look up stuff is the usual task.
Try saying "I'm feeling lucky" and see if the trivia game is messed up. Maybe it will straighten her out. She may let you win.
 
This is just so weird. The Google Man has been just fine for months. Maybe the Google Woman has had it with the man and is trying to push him out. I'll try switching to the female voice, see how that works.
 
I've had the issue where it says it's going to follow through with a command and then does nothing.
 
I posted this in the Google forums and have left at least a half a dozen pieces of feedback in the Google app over the past week but then I realized, I usually get so much more info in this forum.

For at least two weeks, the Google Assistant accessed via voice on my Pixel has been an absolute, chaotic mess. I mostly use it through the Android Auto app (not built in to my car) but I am getting similar issues if I access with a squeeze.

It is totally unhelpful more than half the time. I have my Assistant set to a male voice but it sounds like I have a feuding couple living in my phone - I get responses in traditional Google female and/or in my selected male voice. Today, it did something even worse - I did the squeeze and asked it to open Google Maps and it told me the maps app wasn't installed... ?!?!?

This all used to work quite well, I would say 90% of the time. Now, I expect it to fail and I'm surprised when it works.

Here are the examples I posted on the Google forum. I am curious if any of you have noticed a significant drop in "intellegence" in your Goolge Assistant.

--------------------------

ME: Hey google, remind me to buy milk at 5pm
RESPONSE IN FEMALE VOICE: What's the reminder?
ME: Buy milk
RESPONSE IN MALE VOICE: When do you want to be reminded?
ME: 5pm
...then nothing.

OR....

ME: Hey google, call John Smith mobile
RESPONSE IN FEMALE VOICE: Who do you want to call?
ME: John Smith
RESPONSE IN MAIL VOICE: Here is the location of the nearest T-Mobile store.

OR...

ME: Hey google, send a text message to Mary Jones
RESPONSE IN FEMALE VOICE: Who do you want to text?
ME: Mary Jones
RESPONSE IN MALE VOICE: Work or mobile
ME: Mobile
RESPONSE IN MALE VOICE: What's the message?
ME: I'll be there in 15 minutes
RESPONSE IN FEMALE VOICE: What's the message?
ME: I'll be there in 15 minutes
...then nothing.

I mostly have issues in the car when I'm driving. I'm not sure why. But I'll ask her to send a text, and she will say What's The Message? Then I'll say the text, and she will just keep repeating What's The Message? It's beyond annoying. But if I'm not in the car she usually works.