Last Updated:
Gemini AI is capable of doing a lot of things but Google has been warned about the misuse of AI to control smart devices in the house.
Gemini AI can be manipulated to control lights. (Photo: AI generated)
Google’s Gemini AI can generate videos with audio, create books with illustrations for kids and even let you make travel plans. But the dark side of AI is hard to ignore and that’s what a team of researchers has shown with a small but impactful demo.
You’ve seen sci-fi movies where a person can remotely control the lights in the house and even change the temperature. But that is exactly what the team was able to show by hacking Gemini AI running on devices and using them to inflict further damage.
Hacking Your House With Google Calendar Invite
The details about this demo have been shared by WIRED in its report. The team basically hacked the Gemini assistant running on Android phones and did so using a Google Calendar invite that was infected with the malicious code for the Gemini assistant to go rogue. They activated the infected calendar invite by asking Gemini to summarise the details which triggered a chain of reaction across all the devices in the house.
AI Breaking Dark Barriers
While researchers did not share the details of the hack, the demo itself is scary enough to tell you the extent of AI and what it can do in the wrong hands. Smart devices are equally susceptible to these attacks, and with the entry of LLMs into the picture, you have got a recipe for disaster staring at everyone’s faces.
These demo attacks also make it evident that LLMs need to be secured before the smart home AI revolution kicks into gear. This probably explains why Google is still testing the use of Gemini AI for its smart speakers.
Google Knows The Threat
The details of the hack have been shared with Google who realise the dangers of letting AI being controlled through home devices. The company says these issues have not been exploited but it plans to get them in order before mishap strikes.
We’ll be seeing Gemini coming to more devices in the near future, especially since smartwatches, smart TVs and even cars have been part of the roadmap, as announced during the I/O 2025 keynote earlier this year. Let’s hope Google and its security team gets to foolproof these vulnerabilities before the bad actors get a sniff.
S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr…Read More
S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr… Read More
view comments
Read More
