Khaberni - "Google" started this month to introduce its new system, Gemini for Home, which represents a significant step towards integrating artificial intelligence technologies into its smart home system, particularly through Nest Cam devices and its digital assistant.
What was supposed to be a major breakthrough in the world of smart homes quickly turned into a series of both amusing and disturbing situations after users reported seeing phantoms and receiving false alerts from the system.
Artificial intelligence sees "what cannot be seen"
Among the most notable cases that spread on the Internet, journalist Ryan Whitwam from "Ars Technica" received an alert from a Nest camera indicating that a "deer" had entered the living room, which later turned out to be just his pet dog.
In another incident, the system detected "fake people" in a live broadcast when there was no one there.
These errors were not limited to visual recognition only; users noted that the new update caused smart routines to malfunction, some voice commands to fail, and even disrupted control of connected home devices.
Between ambition and reality
Through Gemini, "Google" aims to make homes smarter and safer, but these early experiences reveal worrying gaps in the system's ability to accurately understand real scenes.
When the system starts sending alerts about "imaginary visitors" or "fictional animals," it not only provokes laughter, but also diminishes user trust, especially since these devices are marketed as security tools.
Experts warn that false alarms may annoy users or make them ignore real alerts in the future, potentially undermining these systems’ essential value in protecting homes.
The next step for Google
In the coming months, the company is expected to work on improving visual recognition algorithms and updating the Nest cameras software to reduce errors, alongside adding clearer privacy settings and mechanisms to filter out inaccurate alerts.
Until then, experts advise users to treat Gemini alerts as suggestions to be verified rather than absolute truths, and to manually review camera broadcasts when any unusual alerts occur.
It seems that "Google" is still in the "learning" stage within smart homes, as its artificial intelligence requires some human supervision before it can become the reliable guardian the company promised.
