Google is Upgrading Google Assistant on Nest Speakers and Displays

With the focus from Google on Gemini and all things AI in recent years, there have been questions surrounding Google Assistant and what its future holds. Will Google eventually replace Assistant with Gemini in all devices? Probably, yeah. Will that happen immediately? Well, it looks to happen soon on Android devices, but for Google Nest speakers and display, the Google Assistant is not quite ready to depart.

As a part of today’s big Google TV Streamer and Nest Thermostat (4th Gen) news, Google talked briefly about its short-term plans for Google Assistant on other Nest devices.

Google said that for this year with Google Assistant in the home, it will first apply large language models to “improve core experiences such as media playback and setting timers,” before releasing “a variety of new voices that make interacting with your devices feel more conversational.”

Google is also suggesting that by using Gemini technology with these devices and Google Assistant, that they are “reimagining what your home assistant can do with just your voice.” They aren’t being that specific on what this really means, but it is supposedly going to “improve Google Assistant on your Nest speakers and displays, making it more natural and helpful for everyone in your home.” The new and “upgraded” Assistant “will be able to better understand you, so you can chat more naturally, and easily go back and forth or ask follow-up questions.”

Here are some basic examples they shared to give you an idea of what’s in store:

You won’t have to phrase your question in a specific way — ask it in the way that feels most comfortable to you. For example, ask “Is Pluto a planet?” and then dig deeper with “Could they change their minds again?” Can’t figure out the name of that song? Just ask Google, “What’s that iconic basketball theme song.” Or Assistant can tap into Gemini’s generative capabilities to have some fun during a family discussion, like “Help me make the case that Crocs are extremely cool — and mention sport mode.”

The upgraded Google Assistant on your home devices will roll out only to Nest Aware customers in a Public Preview “later this year.” After that, we hope they push the improvements to non-Nest Aware subscribers.