Google Rolls Out Gemini AI for Smart Home Experience

Google announced the release of "Gemini for Home," a brand-new voice assistant for its Nest smart displays and speakers, representing a significant change in its smart home strategy. The launch will start in October via an early access program, with both a free and paid option available, the company confirmed.

Driven by Google's Gemini AI models, the assistant will phase out Google Assistant, allowing for hands-free management of smart lights, music, timers, and more. Users will continue to call it up with the familiar "Hey Google" command, but the assistant will engage in more natural, contextual, and sophisticated conversations. 

Key Highlights:

• Google launches Gemini for Home to replace Google Assistant on Nest devices
• New AI-powered features enable smarter, contextual, and natural interactions
• Rollout begins October with free and paid tiers, rivaling Amazon’s Alexa Plus

“This will feel fundamentally new. Gemini for Home takes advantage of advanced reasoning, inference and search capabilities" to provide more intuitive experiences. wrote Anish Kattukaran, Google Home and Nest chief product officer, in a blog post.

Examples of enhanced capabilities include responding to requests such as "turn off all the lights except in my bedroom" or "play that tune from this year's summer film featuring race cars." The assistant will also handle lists, reminders, and calendars more effectively.

Also Read: 5 Sensational Smart Home Appliances to Smarten Up Your Home

One of the important features is the inclusion of Gemini Live, which supports more natural back-and-forth conversation without having to constantly say "Hey Google." Kattukaran further noted, "From helping you cook with what's inside your fridge to assisting in brainstorming a car buy, Gemini for Home learns from your intent and context like never before."

The development follows as Google seeks to close the gap with Amazon, whose Alexa Plus powered by generative AI already has a robust presence in millions of homes.