Google opens Gemini AI to smart home partners and hardware manufacturers

Google is expanding its smart home AI platform beyond its own products. The company announced at I/O 2026 that it’s opening Gemini for Home to service providers and hardware manufacturers as a complete AI solution.

The move represents a significant shift for Google’s typically closed ecosystem. By combining Google Home APIs with Gemini AI features, the company is letting partners build AI-powered smart home services that can reach hundreds of millions of connected devices.

Three core AI capabilities power the platform

Google has built its expanded platform around three main features that are already working in its own products:

• Camera intelligence: Instead of generic alerts, cameras can now describe specific events in detail using Gemini’s visual understanding
• Ask Home: Users can ask complex questions about their household, like “Did the dog chew the shoe on the couch?” and get real-time answers
• Home Brief: Daily summaries that process hours of sensor data to provide context-aware updates about household activity

These features move smart homes beyond simple device control toward systems that can understand context and act proactively.

Service providers get new revenue opportunities

The platform opens new business models for carriers, internet providers, and security companies. Partners can integrate Google Home Premium subscriptions to offer branded services that include:

• Daily household awareness through AI-generated activity summaries
• Advanced security features that simulate occupancy during vacations
• Smart notifications that filter noise and highlight important events

AT&T is already using the platform, integrating Gemini features into their Connected Life app and security service. The carrier combines Google’s camera intelligence with its own LTE backup systems.

Hardware partners get turnkey AI solutions

Google is expanding its “Gemini built in” program to help hardware manufacturers skip years of AI development. The program provides complete reference designs including processors, sensors, and microphones through partnerships with companies like Amlogic and SEI Robotics.

Two main hardware categories are available:

• Smart cameras: Ready-to-manufacture designs for high-performance, Gemini-capable security cameras
• Smart speakers: New for 2026, these reference designs support full Gemini voice experiences as home command centers

This approach lets hardware companies focus on their brand and services rather than underlying AI technology development.

Why this matters for the smart home market

Google’s decision to open its AI platform reflects intensifying competition in smart home technology. Companies like Amazon and Apple are also pushing AI integration in home devices, making advanced features table stakes for the market.

For consumers, this means more choice in AI-powered home services from their existing service providers. Instead of switching to Google’s ecosystem entirely, they might access similar features through their cable company or security provider.

The move also helps Google scale its smart home AI without manufacturing every device itself. By enabling partners to build Gemini-powered products, Google can expand its platform’s reach while partners get to market faster with advanced AI features they couldn’t develop independently.