It’s finally time to bid adieu to Google Assistant in the smart home world, as Gemini for Home has begun its slow rollout on Google smart speakers and displays. But if you’re among the lucky few allowed to take Gemini for Home on a test drive today, you should expect some bumps in the road, the company says.
Google took the wraps off Gemini for Home earlier this month, teasing a “new experience” for Home since last year. However, Gemini is only now starting to replace Google Assistant on smart devices—and only for a select few in its early access program. The company has said that Gemini for Home will arrive for more users in waves over the coming weeks and months.
(I don’t personally have access to Gemini for Home on my smart speakers yet.)
### Slow Rollout to Improve the Experience
The main reason for the slow rollout is to allow time for ironing out Gemini for Home’s rough edges. Google is already managing expectations about the new assistant’s capabilities, even as it highlights all the things it can do.
For example, Gemini for Home’s memory of past conversations may be limited. While Gemini will be able to follow along with “back-and-forth” conversations based on the “context of your chat,” that context “isn’t infinite” and “will be reset” if you leave a topic and come back to it later, according to the company.
On the flip side, if you change topics in the middle of a conversation, Gemini’s memory of what was previously said in the chat “can carry over and influence responses,” Google adds.
### Limitations in Natural Language and Smart Home Commands
Another current limitation is that Gemini for Home’s natural language capabilities have yet to be fully integrated with its smart home actions. Specifically, Gemini may struggle with strung-together commands such as:
> “Create a calendar event, turn on the kitchen lights, and play relaxing music.”
Google warns that local search queries remain “one-shot commands” and “can’t be used as part of a natural, back-and-forth conversation.”
That said, some commands will work with “certain” smart devices. For example, you might say:
> “Turn on the TV, dim the lights, and set the temp to 72 degrees.”
### Personalization and Memory
It’s also worth noting that since Gemini for Home is a “different product” than Google Assistant, it does **not** have access to the information you provided to the older assistant—this includes basic details that personalize your experience.
However, Google promises that it is “working on adding more personalization capabilities to Gemini for Home.”
### Beware of Hallucinations and Outdated Information
Finally, there’s the matter of hallucinations. Google admits that answers to queries—especially those involving “very recent, real-time info”—may be “out of date or wrong.” The company says it is “currently working on this” and advises users that “it’s safest to check factual responses before relying on them.”
There have already been reports of Gemini fabricating information within the smart home context—specifically, it has been known to make things up in its daily “Home Brief” summaries of what’s going on in your smart home.
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As Gemini for Home continues its rollout, users can expect continuous improvements and expanded features. However, patience will be key as Google fine-tunes this new voice assistant for the smart home ecosystem.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/2955156/google-warns-of-rough-edges-as-gemini-for-home-arrives.html
