Google Insists Gemini Home Rollout Is Smooth — Users Say Otherwise

Google’s latest smart home upgrade, the Gemini voice assistant, is rolling out to select Google Home smart displays and speakers — but not without confusion and complaints. While Google claims the transition is going smoothly, early user feedback paints a more complicated picture.

In a blog post celebrating the early stages of Gemini’s rollout, the company highlighted positive reactions, quoting one user who said, “My Google Home just got upgraded with Gemini. It’s actually useful now beyond asking for today’s weather.” But beneath that optimism, the company’s own FAQ suggests that not everything is running as intended.

Among the most common complaints are issues that strike at the core of what a home assistant is meant to do: understanding basic commands and controlling smart devices. According to Google’s FAQ, users have reported problems like, “Gemini for Home voice assistant is not fully understanding my query… (Example: I tried to set an alarm for 5pm but it set it for 5am.)” Another frequent frustration involves the assistant failing to properly operate connected devices such as lights, locks, and thermostats.

These are fundamental features for any voice assistant, especially since Gemini is set to replace the traditional Google Assistant on all smart speakers and displays.

The Gemini update is part of a larger overhaul of Google Home, introducing AI-powered intelligence throughout the platform. This includes a new Ask Home chatbot in the Google Home app that allows users to issue natural language text commands, and Nest security cameras that generate detailed descriptions of what they see for the daily “Home Brief.”

However, gaining access to Gemini’s new voice assistant isn’t simple. It requires an Early Access sign-up, a separate process from Google’s Public Preview program. The assistant won’t be available for everyone until next spring, when the company plans to launch a new Google Home smart speaker.

So far, very few users —have received Gemini. Those who have report mixed experiences. While Google promises a more conversational and context-aware assistant that can handle multiple commands at once, early adopters say complex, “daisy-chained” instructions such as “Turn on the lights except in the bedroom, lock the door, and turn up the heat” aren’t functioning yet.

This inconsistency suggests Gemini may still be behind Google’s earlier assistant in reliability.

As Anish Kattukaran, from Google Home, explained, the challenge lies in adapting generative AI for smart home tasks. “LLMs are great at being creative, but not so good at doing the same thing over and over again with the same predictable output,” he said.

The integration of large language models (LLMs) into voice assistants promises a more natural experience, but it also introduces uncertainty — something not ideal for home automation.

With users struggling to complete everyday commands, Google’s “smooth rollout” narrative may be more wishful thinking than reality. As both Google and Amazon’s Alexa Plus continue evolving toward generative AI-driven smart homes, one thing is clear: there’s still a long way to go before AI assistants truly master consistency and control in our daily lives.