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After years of incremental updates, Google is betting that its Gemini AI can reinvent its smart speaker. On Wednesday, the company introduced its first audio device built specifically for Gemini with the $99.99 Google Home Speaker. The new Google Home device is the first standalone smart speaker from the tech giant since the Nest Audio in September 2020 . That older device arrived at a time when smart speakers were thought of largely as handy controllers for your smart home and music-playing systems. They lacked the smarts of today's AI chatbots, as commands often had to be phrased correctly to get things to work. The Google Home Speaker is changing that, as you'll be able to speak using natural language requests and even make multi-step requests using the phrasing you'd like. For instance, you could tell the speaker to "turn off all the lights except for my bedside lamp," or "dim the kitchen lights, play some relaxing music, and set a timer for 20 minutes." You can also make corrections mid-sentence as you speak instead of having to try requests again, and Gemini will understand. That means you could say something like "turn off the coffee maker…I mean, turn it on!" and the AI will respond appropriately, Google points out. Plus, the device will ship with 10 new voices that can have two-way conversations with you about topics that aren't limited to smart home tasks or other simple commands. You can ask more nuanced questions and dive deeper into topics you want to learn about, as you could when speaking with Gemini on your smartphone. The speaker's microphone can also remain on briefly when using the "Continued Conversation" feature, so you can more naturally ask follow-up questions without having to say "OK, Google" again. The device itself looks similar to older versions, with its 3D-knit textile wrapping and rounded 3.4 x 4.2-inch design. In the U.S., the speaker comes in Jade and Berry colors in addition to the Hazel and Porcelain options available in the rest of the world. A new ring light at the bottom will indicate if the speaker is listening, thinking, or responding. But not all of the new device's AI smarts will be free. Instead, Google will sell Google Home Premium subscription plans for $10 per month (or $100 per year) if you want to take advantage of more powerful AI features. This includes being able to have more free-flowing conversations with Gemini Live, which you kick off by saying "Hey Google, let's chat." Home Premium can also help you ask about and make sense of activity captured on your home's Nest cameras, or offer summaries of what happened in the home while you were out. Whether those capabilities are compelling enough to justify another monthly subscription remains to be seen, particularly when many of the device's Gemini features are available without paying. Google will try to get you used to the advanced features by offering them for free for six months before pushing you to subscribe, however. If successful, Google will have reinvigorated the smart speaker lineup with generative AI and found a way to get some customers to pay for those technological advances. The device is available for pre-order now and will ship later this month. Topics AI , AI , audio device , Gadgets , Google , google home , Media & Entertainment , smart speaker When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission . This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Sarah Perez Consumer News Editor Sarah has worked as a reporter for TechCrunch since August 2011. She joined the company after having previously spent over three years at ReadWriteWeb. Prior to her work as a reporter, Sarah worked in I.T. across a number of industries, including banking, retail and software. You can contact or verify outreach from Sarah by emailing sarahp@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at sarahperez.01 on Signal. View Bio June 18 Los Angeles Get an inside look at what it takes to scale and succeed from leaders at Mach Industries, Founders Fund, and Shinkei Systems. Through candid fireside chats and high-impact networking, you'll walk away with valuable insights and new connections. REGISTER NOW Most Popular SpaceX to acquire Cursor for $60B in stock, days after blockbuster IPO Sean O'Kane The US government's Anthropic models ban was never about an AI jailbreak Zack Whittaker The AI layoff wave is becoming a powder keg Connie Loizos Amazon CEO reportedly raised Anthropic model concerns before government crackdown Anthony Ha The FBI built its own replica small town to simulate real-world cyberattacks Zack Whittaker Meta's months-old AI unit is a soul-crushing gulag, say the engineers stuck inside it Connie Loizos Jeff Bezos's Prometheus raises $12B to build an ‘artificial general engineer' for the physical world Marina Temkin