I enabled every Gemini extension to see which ones are actually worth keeping

I didn't plan to jump on the Gemini or ChatGPT bandwagon when they launched. I waited several months before I was forced to sink my teeth into them.

I didn't find Gemini or its extensions particularly useful or impressive at first. For a long time, Google Assistant was more than enough to run my smart home setup.

But when Google started integrating Gemini with its services and replacing Google Assistant, I had to face reality and make the switch.

I started utilizing Gemini and its extensions one by one, slowly weaving them into my workflow and personal accounts.

I've been using these connected apps on my Android devices for some time now, and a few have become indispensable for getting things done.

While many sound great on paper, weeks of testing have revealed that only a small handful of these extensions are worth your time.

Here are the Gemini extensions I enabled and disabled inside Personal Intelligence.

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Google Home

Manage your smart home and devices

I don't have an extensive smart home setup.

My ecosystem is limited to a few smart bulbs, some Xiaomi Wi-Fi extenders, an air purifier, and a couple of Google TV-powered TCL TVs.

I used to manage them reliably with Google Assistant before, and they worked exactly as intended.

But after Google introduced Gemini to the Google Home app, I quickly came to appreciate its smarter chatbot features.

I don't have to restrict myself to rigid voice commands anymore. Instead, Gemini allows for fluid, multistep actions using natural language.

For instance, I can schedule my outdoor smart bulb to sync with local sunrise and sunset times, or have it dim automatically after 8:00 in the evening.

Gemini also shines at setting up routines that involve multiple smart home devices. It handles complex triggers with ease, like turning on my air purifier every time I power up my Google TV.

If you shell out for a Google One AI Premium subscription, you can take advantage of the Home Briefs feature. This provides a text summary of what your security cameras captured while you were away.

In addition, the integration lets you have natural conversations about your smart cameras, like asking whether a delivery has arrived at the front door, without having to scrub through long hours of footage.

It makes the entire experience feel significantly smarter, a massive leap forward over the old assistant.

That's exactly why I've kept this extension toggled on ever since. Going back to the classic assistant now feels like a major step back.

Google Workspace

Sorting through the productivity suite

I juggle tons of emails and documents every day, and Gemini has become a crucial addition to my productivity apps.

Primarily, it saves me from constantly flying through my inbox to filter out important messages. With a quick prompt, I can summon Gemini to surface time-sensitive deadlines and critical threads.

I can even turn this into a hands-free daily routine by setting up Scheduled actions to read prioritized emails without launching Gmail.

While I don't actively use Gemini to draft content in every Workspace tool, the integration makes it easy to transfer data, such as a table or event details, across Mail, Sheets, and Calendar.

For other connected apps, it does more than basic data sharing. It handles proofreading tasks in Docs and consolidates actions from Google Keep and Google Tasks.

What I do wish, however, is that Google would give us granular control for each individual service rather than using a single toggle for the entire Workspace suite.

Right now, it's an all-or-nothing affair. I either enable Gemini for all Workspace apps or disable it completely.

Alternatively, Google could implement app-level integration similar to what it does with Google Maps, where the AI features are built into the app rather than an optional Personal Intelligence settings.

Access the Connected Apps settings via the gear icon, then tap Personal Intelligence in the Gemini app.

Google Utilities

Handling the on-device basics

Having Gemini handle my device utilities is another important implementation for keeping daily tasks on track.

With the chatbot enabled for system tools, I can use basic voice gestures for quick tasks, like triggering the shutter when taking pictures or videos with the native camera app.

It also comes in handy for standard operating procedures, such as setting a morning alarm or launching apps.

Contextual awareness easily handles slightly more complex requests, like stacking multiple timers simultaneously.

This extended control reaches into my device settings, letting me toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data completely hands-free.

These are basic functions that the previous Google Assistant could handle just fine, but Gemini expands on those capabilities with smoother execution.

Compared to other connected apps, the Utilities extension feels less invasive since it relies on direct hardware control rather than feeding your personal data into Google's cloud servers.

Messages and Phone

Communication tools get a split approach

I appreciate that Google gave Messages and Phone separate toggles instead of lumping them under the same umbrella.

While I use Gemini to manage my calls, I keep it disabled for Messages. I found the AI features clumsy and ineffective for casual, day-to-day chats with my family and contacts.

But if you're constantly glued to your messaging apps, Gemini can review long chat threads or dictate voice inputs. It behaves similarly if you enable the third-party WhatsApp extension.

Instead, I limit Gemini to call management, where it can place calls and answer or decline incoming calls hands-free.

Third-party apps

Integration with Samsung's ecosystem

While I don't rely on Samsung's default apps for everything on my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, it's a welcome surprise to see Gemini supporting third-party applications out of the box.

Gemini plays well with Samsung Gallery, as well as other stock utilities like Samsung Calendar, Samsung Notes, and Samsung Reminder.

Even better, Google included individual toggles here, allowing me to pick which Samsung services get the Gemini treatment.

This is a better design than Workspace, and I envy this when I'm using my Pixel phone.

It's a thoughtful feature for Galaxy users who are deeply tied to Samsung's hardware ecosystem but still want access to Google's cross-platform services.

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Gemini extensions that I disable

I don't need AI on every Google app

When it comes to the Gemini extensions that I don't use, I avoid having Gemini on YouTube and YouTube Music.

I don't find the video integration useful.

I tried using Gemini to summarize lengthy clips before, but Chrome and native YouTube features already do a stellar job of displaying automatic video chapters and timestamps.

If I need to extract data from a long video, I'd rather copy the URL, paste it into Gemini's standard prompt box, and let it do summarization and analysis.

The same sentiment applies to YouTube Music, which uses the assistant only for basic contextual searches and playback controls. I rarely use it, so I'd rather keep it on the sidelines.

Besides, keeping it off ensures the AI doesn't accidentally skew my music discovery algorithm or pollute my carefully curated preferences.

I wouldn't call myself a total privacy freak, but over time I've learned that it's good practice to block Gemini from accessing my core Google search history, which is why I've also disabled it for Search.

Similarly, that's the same setup I use on Google Photos. I found that the search time is slower than the classic search function, especially for anything basic like location and people.

More importantly, granting Gemini access to my personal photos makes the experience more intrusive.

You should, too. It feels entirely too invasive for a chatbot to access my search history and gallery.

Disabling Gemini on Search also ensures you get more diverse search results in the long run, leaving you with more web links than AI-generated summaries.

Ultimately, deciding which parts of Google services you connect to Gemini depends on your workflow and personal necessities.

Plus, it's always worth weighing the privacy trade-offs before toggling everything on.