Gemini Can Now Run Errands for You — What That Means for Your Business

While currently available on high-end smartphones, Gemini's ability to automate tasks such as food delivery and ride bookings can significantly save time and reduce operational costs for small businesses relying on these services. This kind of AI-driven task automation signals a near future where your phone handles entire workflows without you lifting a finger.

If you've ever wished you could hand off the small, repetitive tasks in your workday to someone else, Google just got a lot closer to making that a reality. The company's Gemini AI assistant — available on the Pixel 10 Pro and Galaxy S26 Ultra — can now autonomously complete tasks inside third-party apps like Uber and DoorDash. You tell it what you need, and it navigates the app, fills in the details, and gets it done.

The reviewer's verdict? Slow, clunky — and genuinely impressive.

What Gemini's Task Automation Actually Does

Unlike older voice assistants that could only open apps or play music, Gemini's new task automation feature takes real actions. In tests, it was able to open Uber, enter a destination, select a ride type, and confirm the booking — all without the user touching the screen after the initial instruction.

DoorDash ordering worked similarly: the AI browses the app, selects items, applies preferences, and submits the order. It's not instant, and it sometimes needs a nudge, but it completes the job.

This is what AI researchers call "agentic" behavior — the AI acts as an agent on your behalf, not just answering questions but taking steps across multiple screens and decisions.

Why This Matters for Small Business Owners

Right now, you might be thinking: "I don't need AI to order me lunch." Fair enough. But the business implications go deeper than that.

Errand offloading at scale. Imagine staff who handle logistics — booking rides for clients, ordering supplies via delivery apps, scheduling pickups — being able to hand those micro-tasks to an AI agent. Even saving 10–15 minutes per employee per day adds up fast over a month.

Template for broader automation. Gemini's task automation is built on the same principles as enterprise AI agents that can operate software, fill out forms, and manage workflows. What Google is demoing on a smartphone today is a preview of what business software will look like within the next 12–18 months.

Competitive positioning. Early adopters of these tools will build processes that are faster and leaner than competitors still doing things manually. Getting comfortable with AI automation now — even the consumer version — builds the muscle memory your team will need.

The Honest Tradeoffs

The technology isn't perfect yet. Gemini's task automation can be slow — sometimes taking 30–60 seconds to complete what a human does in 10. It occasionally gets confused by app updates or unexpected screens. And it currently only works on select premium Android devices.

But "slow and clunky" is exactly how the internet, smartphones, and cloud software felt in their early days. The trajectory matters more than the current state.

There's also a privacy consideration worth noting: for the AI to act inside your apps, it needs to observe what's on your screen. Google has controls for this, but it's worth understanding what data is involved before enabling it for work accounts.

What to Do Now

You don't need to rush out and buy a Pixel 10 Pro. But you should be paying attention to where task automation is heading. A few practical steps:

Map your repetitive tasks. Make a list of things your team does on repeat — booking, ordering, data entry, scheduling. These are prime candidates for AI automation.
Test consumer AI agents. Try Gemini, Apple Intelligence, or other AI assistants on tasks you do personally. Understanding their capabilities and limits firsthand is invaluable.
Talk to your software vendors. Ask your CRM, project management, and operations software providers what AI automation features they're building. Most are racing to add them.

The Business Takeaway