Google has unveiled exciting updates for Google Home and Assistant, offering a glimpse into a future powered by its advanced AI model, Gemini. These changes, announced ahead of the Pixel event, promise a more intuitive and helpful smart home experience. From a more natural-sounding Assistant voice to simplified automation creation and enhanced camera intelligence, Gemini is poised to revolutionize how we interact with our connected homes.
Google Assistant’s new voice is remarkably more natural, featuring human-like pauses and inflections, moving away from its robotic past. Furthermore, the Assistant now handles follow-up questions with improved contextual understanding. For example, after explaining Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet, the Assistant can seamlessly answer subsequent questions about the International Astronomical Union’s potential to reverse its decision.
Gemini creating a Google Home automation.Gemini simplifies smart home automation creation.
The most significant advancements revolve around Google Home’s integration with Gemini. Creating home automations, often a complex process, becomes remarkably simple. Users can now describe their desired automation using natural language, either spoken or typed. Imagine telling Gemini, “Help the kids remember to put their bikes in the garage after school.” Gemini then automatically creates an automation that activates garage lights and broadcasts a reminder message when someone arrives home between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Users can review and customize the generated automation or save it with a single tap.
Gemini creating a Google Home automation.Users can define automations with simple voice commands.
Gemini also enhances the search functionality within Google Home’s Activity page. Users can now ask complex questions like, “Did the kids leave their bikes in the driveway?” and receive a direct answer along with supporting video clips. This seemingly simple feature is powered by sophisticated AI analysis, making searching camera footage far more intuitive.
Gemini improving camera activity search results in Google Home.Searching camera activity is now more intuitive and powerful with Gemini.
This enhanced search capability is fueled by Gemini’s ability to interpret camera feeds with greater depth and detail. Instead of simply identifying a bird on a feeder, Gemini can provide a rich description of the scene, noting the bird’s species, plumage, and the surrounding environment.
Gemini improving camera activity search results in Google Home.Gemini provides detailed descriptions of events captured by smart home cameras.
An example of Gemini providing a detailed explanation of a scene a smart camera sees.Gemini’s enhanced scene understanding provides rich contextual information.
While real-world performance remains to be seen, these Gemini-powered features promise a significant leap forward in smart home technology. The simplified automation creation and enhanced camera intelligence are particularly impressive, demonstrating the potential of AI to make our homes truly intelligent.
These features will be available to Nest Aware subscribers later this year as part of a Public Preview. The exact release date is yet to be confirmed, but the anticipation is high for these transformative additions to the Google Home ecosystem.
