VERIFIEDBy Xavier Rivera· ·1 min read
Google Rolls Gemini 3.1 to Home Speakers with Camera, Automation Upgrades
Google expands Gemini 3.1 to Home smart speakers and adds camera navigation plus automation triggers. Early-access users gain complex multi-step commands and web/app device management for smoother smart home control.
Source:Ars Technica
TL;DRAI · 60 sec read
Google updates its Google Home platform with Gemini 3.1 voice assistance and new camera and automation controls. The company launched an AI-focused redesign late last year and continues adding features. These changes simplify camera feed navigation and boost AI event labeling accuracy to address user pain points.
Early-access Home users now access Gemini 3.1, which Google first released on other platforms in February without smart speakers. Speakers now handle complex, multi-step voice commands using advanced reasoning. Google says the model processes multiple tasks in a single prompt.
The company cites gains on benchmarks like ARC-AGI-2 and Humanity’s Last Exam, testing logic and domain knowledge. These enable longer conversations on devices for users opting in. Improvements cut the need to break requests into separate commands.
Ask Home expands to the web interface as a preview, letting users check camera history and build automations via chat. New triggers and actions span categories: security (arming/disarming, door states like locked/unlocked/jammed, sensor conditions); appliances (start/stop/pause/resume for washers, dryers, coffee makers, robot vacs); lighting/environment (brightness, colors, temps, window positions, humidity); media (playback, volume); and device health (battery, switches).
Paying subscribers create automations via Ask Home or legacy buttons/menus. All users keep menu-based building. Camera upgrades skip the Gemini 3.1 model, which applies only to voice.
Early-access Home users now access Gemini 3.1, which Google first released on other platforms in February without smart speakers. Speakers now handle complex, multi-step voice commands using advanced reasoning. Google says the model processes multiple tasks in a single prompt.
The company cites gains on benchmarks like ARC-AGI-2 and Humanity’s Last Exam, testing logic and domain knowledge. These enable longer conversations on devices for users opting in. Improvements cut the need to break requests into separate commands.
Ask Home expands to the web interface as a preview, letting users check camera history and build automations via chat. New triggers and actions span categories: security (arming/disarming, door states like locked/unlocked/jammed, sensor conditions); appliances (start/stop/pause/resume for washers, dryers, coffee makers, robot vacs); lighting/environment (brightness, colors, temps, window positions, humidity); media (playback, volume); and device health (battery, switches).
Paying subscribers create automations via Ask Home or legacy buttons/menus. All users keep menu-based building. Camera upgrades skip the Gemini 3.1 model, which applies only to voice.
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