Review finds Google Home Pet Memory struggles to identify pets by name

In short: A review says Google’s new Pet Memory feature often cannot tell one pet from another, even after setup.

What happened

Google has been promoting a feature called Pet Memory in Gemini for Home, which is part of the Google Home app. The idea is simple, your Nest security cameras should be able to recognize your pets by name, not just say “animal detected.”

In a two-week test, The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy tried Pet Memory with three cats. Even after entering each cat’s details, the system kept labeling every cat as the same one, “Smokey.” It sometimes showed video clips of the wrong cat when asked when “Smokey” was last seen.

The reviewer says there is no clear “training” step for the system, like uploading photos or correcting mistakes. You type in a name and a few details, and it tries to guess the rest, like a person trying to recognize your friends after hearing only their names.

There are also practical limits. Pet Memory requires Google’s top-tier Google Home Advanced Plan, which costs $20 per month. It currently works only with Nest cameras, and only indoor Nest Cams.

The reviewer also tried using Pet Memory to trigger automatic actions, like dispensing food when a specific cat was seen. Because the camera could not reliably identify the cats, the feeder triggered for the wrong cat and sometimes repeatedly, leaving an overflowing bowl.

Why it matters

Many people buy home cameras to keep track of pets and reduce useless alerts. If a system gets the pet’s identity wrong, it can be worse than getting no name at all, especially if you rely on it for safety checks or feeding routines.

Source: The Verge AI