Google launched the Google Assistant in 2016. Since then, Google's first-gen virtual assistant has spread to pretty much every device type you can think of: phones, tablets, smartwatches, smart speakers, TVs, cars — if it connects to the internet, it probably has access to the Google Assistant.

In the smart home, we'll likely use Gemini the same way we used Google Assistant, except it will hopefully be more precise in its answers and able to make more suggestions about home management. While many AI integrations may be behind the scenes, the average homeowner will see this more as a rebrand than anything else.

Google accounts are no longer required to access Gemini AI on the web. However, like ChatGPT, some limitations apply.