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Google $GOOGL -0.11% added a pet recognition feature to its Nest cameras that uses the Gemini AI assistant to identify animals by name and send personalized alerts to owners. The feature, called Pet Memory, is rolling out now for early access users of Google Home.
Setup happens inside Ask Home, where owners submit a pet's name and type so Gemini can begin personalizing what the cameras report. The practical effect is a shift in alert language: a notification that once read "a dog is walking in your kitchen" would instead name the animal directly, so a dog named Fido gets identified as such, according to 9to5Google.
Fewer false matches and more precise alerts — specifying which animal appeared and in what room — are the outcomes Google is pitching for the feature, according to Digital Trends. Compatibility extends to indoor Nest cameras and certain cameras with Gemini built in, though Google has yet to publish a complete eligibility list for those Gemini built-in devices.
Access to Pet Memory sits behind Google Home Premium's Advanced plan, placing it in the company's paid subscription tier. Nothing is automatic: the feature only becomes active once an owner has gone into Ask Home and entered their pet's details.
