Google is killing Assistant – how your business’s voice orders will break on Sept 4

Introduction

On September 4, Google will turn off Google Assistant on Android phones, Wear OS watches and many connected devices. Any voice‑controlled ordering, booking or support bot that relies on Assistant will stop working. If your bakery uses a “Hey Google, order more flour” shortcut, or your dental clinic schedules appointments through a voice‑bot, those automations will fail the moment the service disappears.

You don’t have to wait for the outage to hit your cash flow. By auditing your current voice workflows today, exporting the settings, and planning a migration to a reliable replacement, you can keep your operations running smoothly.

How the shutdown can affect your business

Business type	Typical voice use case	What will break on Sept 4
Bakery	“Hey Google, add 5 kg flour to the supplier order”	The command will no longer reach the ordering system, leaving you without the needed stock.
Restaurant	“Hey Google, reserve a table for 4 at 19:00” (customer‑facing bot)	Customers will hear an error or no response, potentially losing reservations.
Dental clinic	“Hey Google, confirm tomorrow’s 10 am appointment” (staff shortcut)	Staff will lose a quick way to verify schedules, increasing phone‑call workload.
Freelance designer	“Creates a new project folder in Drive”	Automation that creates project folders via voice will stop, slowing down onboarding of new clients.
Logistics firm	“Hey Google, log a new delivery request”	Voice‑driven entry of delivery jobs will fail, causing delays in dispatch.
Online store for small business	“Hey Google, add a new product to the webshop”	The command will stop, preventing new sales listings.

In each case the underlying problem is the same: a voice‑trigger that used to call a specific tool or API is now pointing at a service that no longer exists.

Step‑by‑step audit checklist

1. Identify every Assistant‑based shortcut

   • Open the Google Assistant settings on each device used for work.
   • Look for “Routines”, “Shortcuts” or “Voice commands” that you or your staff created.

2. Document the purpose and the downstream system

   • Write a short note: What does the command do? (e.g., “adds item to supplier order in X‑ERP”).
   • Note the tool or service it talks to (e.g., an API, a Google Sheet, a Zapier workflow).

3. Export the configuration

   • In the Assistant settings you can export Routines as a JSON file (a simple text file that lists all your commands in a readable format) or simply copy the command text into a spreadsheet.
   • Save the export in a secure folder that your team can access.

4. Test the command today

   • Run each shortcut once and verify that the expected action occurs.
   • If a command already fails, flag it as high priority for replacement.

5. Prioritise by business impact

   • Rank the shortcuts: critical (directly affects revenue), important (affects efficiency), nice‑to‑have (convenience).

6. Set a migration deadline

   • Aim to have a replacement ready at least one week before September 4. This gives you a buffer for testing.

7. Assign responsibility

   • Choose a staff member or an external partner to own each migration step.

Replacement options – choosing a new voice platform

When Google retires Assistant, its Gemini platform becomes the default voice interface. Gemini is a generative‑AI chatbot that can call external tools, but it behaves differently from the old Assistant: it may ask follow‑up questions, and its responses can be less predictable for simple “one‑click” tasks.

If you prefer a more deterministic experience, consider these alternatives:

Voice platform	Strengths	Things to watch
Gemini	Deep integration with Google services, powerful AI for complex queries.	May require re‑training of voice commands; occasional conversational drift.
Amazon Alexa	Mature skill ecosystem, clear voice‑command model, good for retail and smart‑home devices.	Requires an Amazon developer account; some European data‑privacy considerations.
Apple Siri	Works well on iOS devices, strong privacy stance, easy to set up for simple shortcuts.	Limited third‑party integration compared with Alexa or Gemini.
Custom voice‑bot (built with our AI & Automation service)	Tailored exactly to your workflow, no unwanted features, full control over data.	Higher upfront development effort; needs ongoing maintenance.

When choosing a replacement, ask yourself:

• Does the platform support the specific tool I need to call (e.g., my ERP, a Google Sheet, a webhook)?
• How much training will my staff need to use it comfortably?
• Are there any additional costs or subscription fees that affect my budget?

Frequently asked questions

Q: Will my existing Google Home speakers stop working?
A: The voice‑assistant function on Google Home will be switched to Gemini. Basic music playback and smart‑home control will continue, but any custom voice commands you created will need to be rebuilt.

Q: Can I keep using Assistant on a desktop computer?
A: The shutdown applies to Android and Wear OS devices. The web‑based Assistant in Chrome will also be retired, so you should treat all consumer‑facing voice automations as affected.

Q: How much technical knowledge do I need to migrate?
A: For simple shortcuts you can rebuild them yourself using the new platform’s “Routines” or “Shortcuts” feature. More complex integrations (e.g., calling an API) may require a developer or a partner like IT Move NL to set up safely.

Q: How can I protect my business from a voice‑assistant shutdown?
A: Start with the audit checklist above, export all configurations, and choose a replacement platform before the September 4 deadline. Consider a free health check with a trusted provider to verify that critical workflows are covered.

Keep your voice workflows running – free health check

Don’t let the September 4 deadline catch you off guard. At IT Move NL we offer a free Voice‑Workflow Health Check. We’ll:

• Review every Assistant‑based automation you currently use.
• Export and document the settings for you.
• Recommend the best migration path – whether that’s Gemini, Alexa, Siri, or a custom bot built with our AI & Automation service.

Reach out today and make sure your voice‑controlled ordering, booking or support bots keep humming smoothly.

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Sources:

• Google plans to kill Assistant on your phone on September 4
• Google vervangt Assistant vanaf 4 september door Gemini op Android en Wear OS