Google just gave us a real look at how Android 17 could change the way you use your phone. With new developer tools announced Tuesday, AI agents like Gemini can dive right into your installed apps to find photos, manage calendars or book a multi-stop rideshare while you do something else.
The idea is simple. Instead of opening apps one at a time, you tell an AI what you need. Google calls this the “agency future,” and it’s now landing in parts on the Galaxy S26 series and select Pixel 10 devices. By long-pressing the power button on these phones, you can hand over complex tasks to Gemini. The AI will initially work in food delivery, grocery store and ride-sharing apps in the US and Korea.
Gemini takes control in two ways
Google is building this up in two ways. The first is AppFunctions, a framework that allows developers to expose specific app functions directly to AI. The Samsung Gallery integration on the Galaxy S26 shows how it works. You ask Gemini to “show me pictures of my cat from Samsung Gallery.” The AI finds them and displays them. They never open the Gallery app. It already works for calendars, notes and tasks on devices from different manufacturers.
The second track is wider. For apps without dedicated integrations, Google is testing a UI automation framework. This allows Gemini to perform general tasks. The beta launches on the same devices and supports a curated set of apps in the food delivery, grocery and ridesharing categories. The AI handles the multi-step work using your existing app context.
You stay in the driver’s seat
Releasing an AI in your apps sounds like a privacy risk. Google says it developed these features with privacy and security in mind. When Gemini runs a task through UI automation, you can track its progress via notifications or a live view. If something is wrong, you step in and take over manually.
Sensitive actions receive additional guard rails. Gemini warns you before you complete a purchase, for example. The real work happens on your device, not on a remote server. Google refers to this as user controls built into the experience. The goal is to make automation feel helpful, not scary.
Android 17 and what’s next
That’s still early. Google is starting with a small group of developers to improve the experience. The UI Automation preview is limited to specific devices and app categories in only two countries. However, the roadmap envisions Android 17 as the time when these features will be expanded to more users, developers, and device manufacturers.
For now, if you have a Galaxy S26 or a select Pixel 10, you can try out the beta when it comes out. For everyone else, taking it with you is easy. Your phone is about to do tedious tasks smarter. The shift from opening apps to telling AI what you need is coming. Android 17 will likely return to normal later this year.
