After being spotted by some earlier this month, Google has detailed how Gemini "AI-powered answers" in Google Assistant works on the Nest Mini and Audio.
A new support document details how: "You can experiment with new, more natural sounding voices and get AI-powered answers from Google Assistant with help from Gemini." Specifically, Google Assistant will use an "LLM to respond to a wider range of questions and provide more in-depth, AI-powered answers on general knowledge topics."
To access, you need to join the Google Home Public Preview and enable a secondary "Experimental AI features" setting on that page, which is not yet widely available.
Notably, only the Nest Audio and 2nd-gen Nest Mini supports this experience as of right now. Nest Hubs are currently excluded, while you must also have Voice Match enabled. Lastly, this "AI-powered experience is only available in English, in the US, and to users 18 and over."
In terms of what's new, you can:
This is not too different from what's possible with Gemini Live on Android and iOS.
Google provides the standard disclaimer "AI-powered answers from Google Assistant are experimental":
On the voices front, there should be "new, more natural sounding voices" under Google Home Settings tab > Google Assistant > Assistant voice & sounds when this experience is enabled.
When you're using this experience, there will be a "chime before Google Assistant responds with an AI-powered answer."