Google Assistant has long been praised for its hands-free convenience. Whether you’re multitasking or simply want to avoid tapping through your phone, the ability to use voice commands for actions like answering calls, sending texts, or checking reminders makes life a bit easier. However, a recent issue affecting Pixel phones is undermining the experience — and it’s been irritating users for weeks.
The problem centers around Google Assistant’s Quick Phrases — the feature that allows users to bypass the “Hey Google” wake phrase for common commands. Despite having Quick Phrases properly enabled, users of Pixel 6 and newer models (those with Google’s in-house Tensor chip) are being plagued by a recurring popup notification. This message, which reads “Skip ‘Hey Google’ for certain tasks,” appears as though the feature isn’t active — even when it is.
According to reports, this notification can be easily dismissed, but it often returns repeatedly, sometimes even daily. That’s particularly frustrating for users who have taken the time to double-check their settings and confirm that everything is configured correctly. The bug has been reported across both Android 13 and Android 14, indicating that it’s not limited to a specific software version and might stem from a deeper compatibility issue or glitch in how the feature is detected.
A Pattern of Flawed Functionality
While Google Assistant remains a valuable tool in many everyday situations, this bug isn’t the only hiccup users have noticed recently. For example, the reintroduction of the once-retired “What’s on my screen?” feature — a helpful way to generate search results based on on-screen content — has been met with mixed feedback. The concept is great, offering functionality similar to Google Lens, but many users report that the feature doesn’t reliably show up when needed. Sometimes it’s there, sometimes it’s not — and when consistency is key, that kind of unpredictability hurts the user experience.
These ongoing problems raise a larger question: Is Google Assistant evolving, or just stumbling forward?
AI to the Rescue — Maybe
There are signs that Google is trying to turn the corner with help from artificial intelligence. Developers have discovered clues suggesting that generative AI is gradually being baked into Google Assistant. While the assistant is already capable of reading aloud full web pages, there appears to be a new “Summarize” button in development. This tool would presumably condense web content into a short, digestible summary — a great addition for people who want the gist of an article without committing to reading the whole thing. Unfortunately, this feature doesn’t seem to be broadly available yet.
Google has been increasingly vocal about its commitment to AI, so it’s logical that products like Assistant are being positioned to benefit from this tech renaissance. That said, even the promise of smarter functionality doesn’t mean much if the basics aren’t reliable. When users consistently experience glitches, it casts doubt on Google’s ability to roll out new features without compromising stability.
Spreading Too Thin?
The broader issue may be that Google is juggling too much at once. While it’s clear that certain Google services — like Search and Maps — are polished and dependable, others, like Assistant, seem to fluctuate between being impressively useful and unexpectedly buggy. It feels like a case of uneven development, and many users are beginning to notice.
Bugs like the recurring Quick Phrases notification, or features that only work sporadically, suggest that some parts of the Android and Assistant experience aren’t getting the attention they need. And while AI could, in theory, help patch some of these problems over time, it’s difficult for users to stay optimistic when basic features falter so frequently.
Bottom Line
Google Assistant continues to offer impressive capabilities on paper, and the future integration of AI could open up even more possibilities. But unless Google prioritizes stability and bug fixes — especially on its flagship Pixel devices — the experience will remain frustrating for many users. As of now, the Assistant is still a useful companion, but one that too often forgets its place, interrupts uninvited, and reminds you of things you already know. And that’s not very helpful at all.
