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Google Home opens the door to ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI agents
Google is opening its smart-home ecosystem to rival AI assistants. On September 16, Google announced an official Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Google Home, giving any agent that supports MCP — including ChatGPT, Claude, Hermes, and OpenClaw — direct control over smart-home devices. That’s a real shift: until now, meaningful device control was effectively locked to Google’s own Assistant and Gemini.
The abilities extend to all devices in the Google Home ecosystem, including Nest devices, Matter devices, and anything labeled “Works with Google Home,” according to Android Police. Connected agents can control devices, analyze summaries, build custom dashboards, and even use a Google Home speaker as the agent’s “voice.” Google Home product manager Taylor Lehman called it “just the next step in unlocking agentic smart homes.” Setup requires creating a Google Cloud project and giving the agent the MCP configuration; the agent then asks the user to sign in and grant permissions.
There are catches. Right now, access is available only to customers in the US with Google Home’s $20-per-month Premium Advanced subscription, and Google says it’s “rolling out” over roughly one to two weeks. And Google warns that connecting a third-party agent can produce “unexpected or even undesired behavior” — sensitive actions like unlocking doors are prohibited outright.
Why it matters
This is the first time Google has given rival AI assistants a standardized way into one of the biggest smart-home ecosystems. For Google Home owners who live in ChatGPT or Claude, it means one assistant could finally run the house. The paid gate and the security warnings show Google is moving cautiously — but the door is open, and competing assistants will want to walk through it.
Sources
- Android Police — Google Home opens the door to ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI agents
- explainx.ai — Google Home Now Controllable by Claude, ChatGPT via MCP
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