Watch out, Amazon: Google Assistant can now control more than 5,000 smart home devices

Google Assistant is gaining ground in the smart home. The search giant said on Thursday that its artificial intelligence-infused voice assistant now works with more than 5,000 smart home devices. Google Assistant is gaining ground in the smart home. Tripling the number of devices that Google Assistant is compatible with should give the firm a strong foothold in the ongoing smart home wars. Big tech firms ranging from Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Samsung have all launched their respective smart speakers and digital assistants, but making sure they're compatible with a plethora of internet of things products around the home is no easy feat. To this end, Google says its digital assistant works with a variety of smart cameras, dishwashers, doorbells, dryers, lights, plugs, thermostats, security systems, vacuums and locks, among many other technologies.