What you need to know
- Google Home’s app on Android is slowly receiving a Public Preview test called “Voice Assistant.”
- This test is reportedly giving users more control over who can use Google’s experimental AI (Gemini) feature on their smart home devices.
- Gemini appeared in a test for Nest devices last December; however, I/O 2025 held even more in store for Home, like better AI-created automations and more.
Google’s reportedly dropped a new experiment for its Home app testers that brings a little more for its AI helper.
The folks at 9to5Google noticed the beginning of a new “voice assistant” experiment under the Public Preview for Google Home. This test concerns how others (in your home) can interact with the available/enrolled experiments that Google has to offer for your smart devices. According to the post, the test description states users can “Choose how people can access Assistant experiments on all eligible devices in this home.”
Users can open Google’s experiments to every smart home device connected.
However, despite the experimental availability to every device, that doesn’t mean every person can use them. Google gives users two choices here: Everyone or Require Voice Match. The former opens the floodgates for anyone in the home to speak aloud to Gemini’s influence in Google Home for assistance via the Public Preview experiments.
The latter restricts access to those who’ve set up “Voice Match” in Google Home.
The publication states this option has appeared on Android for now under the Google Assistant with help from Gemini” section of the Public Preview.
Gemini arrives for a Smarter Home
It’s no surprise that Gemini’s been taking over the Assistant’s real estate in recent history, and Google Home is no exception. In December, Gemini hit the Public Preview for a test regarding Nest devices. Those in the Public Preview with a Nest Audio or Nest Mini (2nd gen) speaker could call on Gemini for Ai-powered answers. These were delivered via the old Assistant; however, it’s Gemini’s brains in the background that make this possible.
Google stated the AI’s LLM (large language model) delivers more “in-depth” answers for users, covering a range of general topics. Follow-up questions after receiving an answer were possible in this test.
More recently, I/O 2025 had a little in store for Google Home after the main attractions. The company detailed a “summaries” test en route for its Pixels. The “Home Summary” widget would give users bite-sized notifications on their lock screen about what’s transpired at home, like delivered packages and more. Additionally, the company reiterated its previous “help me create” test in the Home app.
Google is advancing that feature, giving users more automation starters such as triggers that are dependent on the weather and dates.
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