Even though Google didn’t give a big update on Gemini coming to smart speakers at I/O recently, the Google Home app is already showing signs of this change. A new setting called “Voice assistant experiments” has appeared, giving users more control over how they test Google’s advanced AI, Gemini, on devices like the Nest Audio and Nest Mini.
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This new setting indicates that Google is actively working on integrating Gemini into its smart home ecosystem, allowing users to choose who can access these experimental features in their home, a crucial step as the technology rolls out.
Unlocking Experimental AI Features
If you’ve been following the progress, testing for Gemini on Google’s smart speakers started back in December. Users needed to be in the Google Home Public Preview program and have Nest Aware. Once enrolled, they had to dig into the app’s “Experimental AI features” toggle, usually found by tapping a little beaker icon. This toggle essentially swapped out the standard Google Assistant with an early version powered by Gemini.
Now, Google is adding a more defined place for managing these tests.
Finding the New Voice Assistant Experiments Setting
The latest addition appears within the Google Home app’s main settings menu. Navigate to the “Settings” tab, and you’ll find a new option labeled “Voice assistant experiments” nestled between the standard “Google Assistant” settings and “Presence Sensing.” Currently, this setting seems to be showing up for Android users but not yet on iOS.
This new menu offers a clear way to “Choose how people can access Assistant Experiments on all eligible devices in this home.” There’s a main toggle to “Enable Assistant experiments in this home.” If you turn this on, you get two important options for controlling access:
- Require Voice Match: Only adults who have previously set up Voice Match – the feature that recognizes individual voices – will be able to use the experimental features. This is great for privacy and control in a multi-person household.
- Everyone: As the name suggests, anyone in the home, including guests or family members who haven’t set up Voice Match, can access the experimental features.
What This Means for Gemini and Google Assistant
Interestingly, during this testing phase on Nest speakers, Google still refers to the Gemini-powered experience as the “Assistant.” This is a bit different from what Google announced for Google TV at “The Android Show: I/O Edition,” where the plan is for Gemini to directly replace the Assistant branding later this year. It remains to be seen if the branding on smart speakers will also shift simply to “Gemini” when it officially launches.
While there wasn’t a major announcement about this specific smart speaker integration at I/O, a blog post about the new Home Summary Widget for Pixel phones did mention it briefly. Google noted they “previewed Gemini enhancing the voice experience on smart speakers, smart displays, and Google TV,” highlighting benefits like more natural conversations, exploring topics deeper, better device control, and even creating automations using just your voice.
So far, this experimental testing phase appears limited to Nest Audio and Nest Mini speakers, with Google yet to expand it to smart displays like the Nest Hub.
Moving Towards a Gemini-Powered Smart Home
The appearance of this dedicated “Voice assistant experiments” setting in the Google Home app signals that Google is steadily progressing with integrating its advanced Gemini AI into its smart home devices. While the full public rollout isn’t here yet, and specific details might still be under wraps (like the branding difference between speakers and TVs), giving users control over who accesses these features during testing is a positive step. It suggests Google is preparing for a future where smart speakers and displays offer a more capable and intuitive voice experience powered by Gemini.
Want to learn more about Google’s latest AI advancements and smart home features? Check out our coverage on [Google’s I/O announcements] or explore our guides on [getting the most out of your Google Home devices].
