Google launched its major AI-fueled redesign of Google Home late last year, consistently adding features since then. Recently, the company announced a significant update poised to address several smart home challenges. The upgrade simplifies camera feed navigation and streamlines AI event labeling. Crucially, the move to Gemini 3.1 for Home's voice assistance is expected to make the AI more intuitive and reliable.
According to Google, Home users enrolled in the early access channel should have already received the Gemini 3.1 update. While Google initially released this AI model on other platforms in February, that rollout did not include its smart speakers. With the expansion to Home, Google states that these speakers will leverage Gemini 3.1's “advanced reasoning to better interpret and execute complex, multi-step voice commands.” This advancement is a recurring highlight with each Gemini update.
Google has referenced various AI evaluations demonstrating Gemini 3.1's enhanced ability to parse large, complex prompts. It showed gains in tests such as ARC-AGI-2 and Humanity’s Last Exam, both of which demand intricate logic problems requiring domain-specific knowledge. While the full extent to which this capability will benefit smart speakers, typically engaged in brief interactions, remains to be seen, users now have the option for extended conversations with Gemini through their smart home devices. Google emphasizes that the improved model can process multiple different tasks within a single prompt, eliminating the need to break down requests into separate commands.
Furthermore, the AI-powered Ask Home feature is expanding beyond the mobile application with this update. In the near future, the Home-specific Gemini chatbot will be accessible within the Home web interface, enabling users to conversationally check camera history and create automations. This particular functionality will initially be launched as a preview feature.