Google Home to Receive AI Upgrade: Gemini Intelligence Technology Brings a New Experience

Google is set to infuse its smart home platform, Google Home, with Gemini AI technology, introducing three brand-new features: intelligent descriptions for Nest camera images, natural language routine creation, and a smarter Google Assistant. These features will provide users with a more intuitive and convenient smart home experience.

AI Innovations in Google Home

Intelligent Analysis of Nest Camera Images

Google will introduce Gemini intelligence to Nest cameras, significantly enhancing their understanding and analytical capabilities. The new feature will not only detect people or objects in the image but also provide detailed contextual descriptions.

For example:

Instead of simply indicating “animal detected,” it will understand and describe “a dog digging in the garden.”
Users can easily find specific video clips of events through a text search feature.

This feature will learn and train in the cloud for each user’s home environment, becoming smarter over time.

Natural Language Routine Creation

The Google Home app will add a “Help me create” feature, allowing users to create smart home routines through natural language descriptions.

How to use:

Enter commands via text or voice in the Google Home app.
For instance, say, “Lock the door and turn off the lights when I go to sleep.”
The system will automatically create the corresponding routine.

This feature supports all existing triggers, actions, and connected devices, including Matter-compatible devices.

Upgraded Google Assistant

Google is improving the core experience of Google Assistant on Nest smart speakers and displays:

Adding multiple voice options with different styles, tones, and accents.
Enhancing natural conversation abilities, better handling pauses and follow-up questions.

These upgrades aim to make Google Assistant closer to the experience of a real assistant.

Subscription and Testing Plans

Most new features (except the new voices) will be available through the Nest Aware subscription, starting at $8 per month.
The features will first be rolled out to select Nest Aware subscribers as part of Google’s public preview testing program.
Expected to be available to more users next year.

Future Outlook for Smart Homes

Anish Kattukaran, the head of Google Home products, stated that this upgrade “opens a new era for Google Home.” With the deep integration of AI technology, Google Home is expected to address longstanding issues such as aging smart displays and the transition from the Nest app to the Google Home app.

Privacy and Personalization

Kattukaran emphasized that the new features will “run in the cloud for your home,” adhering to Google’s privacy principles. The AI models will gradually understand users’ home setups and devices, becoming more intelligent while maintaining high accuracy.

Industry Competition and Future Outlook

As Google, Amazon, and Apple compete to develop smart, environmentally aware home assistants, the future of smart home technology is full of promise. How these developments will affect our daily lives is worth continuous attention.

FAQs

Q: When will the new features be available? A: Most new features will first be rolled out to select Nest Aware subscribers as part of Google’s public preview testing program, expected to be available to more users next year.

Q: Will I need to pay extra to use these new features? A: Yes, apart from the new Google Assistant voices, most new features will require a Nest Aware subscription, starting at $8 per month.

Q: Will Gemini AI technology affect my privacy? A: Google states that the new features will run in the cloud, following its privacy principles. The AI models will personalize learning for each user’s home environment but will not share personal data.

Q: Will this update affect existing Google Home devices? A: Yes, Google states that all existing Nest smart speakers and displays will receive core experience upgrades for Google Assistant.

Q: How can I participate in Google’s public preview testing program? A: Google has not yet announced the specific participation methods. It is recommended to pay attention to the Google official website and notifications within the Google Home app for the latest information.