Google Assistant now offers Proactive suggestions, has Google Now-like cards

Google Assistant has been revamped to feature offer personalised suggestions based on a new 'Proactive' feature

Google Assistant, Google Assistant screen, Assistant for iOS, Google Assistant tools, Assistant Android app, Google Assistant proactive notifications, Google Assistant snapshots

Google Assistant will now be able to offer users with personalised information about their day, as well as suggestions that appear through ‘proactive help’.

Google Assistant now comes with Proactive suggestions, and it also marks the entry of Google Now style cards on the Assistant. In a blog post, Google announced that the Assistant will now be able to offer users with personalised information about their day as well as suggestions that appear through ‘proactive help.’

These ‘Proactive suggestions’ will factor in time of day, location and search history from Google Assistant around the user. So for instance, in the morning, if a user opens the Assistant app, they will see travel time to work, the route, along with their upcoming meetings, depending on the schedule in the calendar.

The new Assistant feature will be available for both the iOS and Android versions of the app with support for multiple languages. Among other things, Assistant will now place travel times at the front and centre, so users may be able to estimate when to leave, and their travel routes. Personal details like agenda, reminders, reservations/ticket bookings, upcoming bills and suggestions for new Actions appear as users scroll down the Assistant app.

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Android users will be able to access the new experience by tapping on the ‘new’ icon in the top right corner of the Assistant screen. This will show the proactive suggestions related to their Google account. For iOS users, they will find the new feature on the updated version of Google Assistant app.

Also read: Google Assistant’s Continued Conversations now available for Home, Home Mini speakers

Assistant will send proactive notifications on the phone that can remind users of upcoming events. Some of the notifications that can be sent in this regard include upcoming bills, package deliveries, as well as alert on travel arrangements, like a delayed flight. This is similar to the kind of alerts once received on Google Now.

Google plans to ramp this mode, so that users could go on to access more information over a snapshot on the Assistant screen. Some of those options could include an overview of your notes, and lists from Google Keep, Any.do, Bring!, Todoist and others. There will also be an updated discovery section that will help find activities; and personalised recommendations for music and podcasts.