Gemini for Google Home can now use your cameras to power automations

Google Home is rolling out a new Gemini-powered automation feature that can trigger smart home routines based on what you have Surveillance cameras can see. This is it One of many updates Announced yesterday for Gemini for Home, including improved voice command support and general stability improvements, following an Early Access launch in October.

“We’re offering a completely new beginning that lets you design automations based on visual insights,” Google said in its announcement. “Because your cameras can now actually understand what you see, your smart home can automatically react to almost anything that happens around your home.”

This feature is currently supported for Nest cameras and select third-party cameras with “Gemini is built-in“, which is only available in English for US users enrolled in the Google Home Public Preview program at the moment. You’ll also need to enable AI descriptions for your cameras via Gemini for Home Camera Features, and subscribe to the Google Home Premium Advanced plan ($20 per month or $200 per year).

To set up the feature, Google says you can simply describe the exact event you want to automate using natural language, then select which cameras inside or outside your home you should be looking for. Google recommends describing things that are clearly visible to your cameras, and says that the camera “needs a brief moment to process what it sees,” and thus this should not be used for “instant alerts, time-sensitive situations, or for security and safety purposes.”

For example, you can ask Gemini for Home to search for “raccoons near trash cans” to trigger a routine that turns on the security light to scare them off, or tell you to notify you when it detects mail has been delivered. You can also ask it to search for the phrase “red BMW enters the driveway” or for specific people (provided the friendly faces feature is enabled), and then activate routines inside your home, such as opening smart blinds or controlling your heating system.

Google also announced that Gemini for Home users can now ask the voice assistant to trigger multiple actions with a single verbal command, such as asking it to lower the curtains, dim the lights, set a 20-minute timer, and start playing your favorite podcast. Gemini should now also respond more quickly to voice commands, and provide more “consistent and predictable” responses to natural language commands, such as asking him to make your room lighting “a little warmer.”