Google unveiled a new feature for its video conferencing platform, Google Meet, on Wednesday (May 22). Called “adaptive audio,” Google says it lets users upload to Meet using multiple laptops in the same room without the echo that usually occurs and creates “audio feedback.” It was announced alongside another feature that makes it easier to manage communication in Spaces. This comes a few weeks after the company announced the integration of the Gemini 1.5 Pro Language Model (LLM) into Google Meet, which provides information retrieval and meeting summarization capabilities.
Details on Google Meet's adaptive audio feature
In a Workspace blog, Google announced that the new “Adaptive Audio” feature works by automatically detecting multiple laptops present in the same room. It then syncs the speakers and microphones to avoid the echo that often occurs when multiple devices are placed close together.
According to the blog, it becomes useful when non-traditional spaces such as coffee shops and lounges are used as meeting rooms. In addition, Google also claims that it can be beneficial for those without dedicated equipment or limited video conferencing rooms.
“This allows teams to create ad-hoc meeting spaces anywhere with just their laptops where everyone can hear each other clearly, without the inconvenience of crowding around a single laptop,” the company said .
How to use Google Meet's adaptive audio feature
When multiple participants join the call in the same room, this feature is automatically activated and an icon appears in the upper-left corner of the screen, Google says. It groups people into the “Participants” panel and merges their audio to “make sure everyone can hear and hear well.” It's on by default and there's no admin control, while turning it off can cause an “echo or howling noise”. Users can change this by going to Settings > Audio > Adaptive Audio.
“Adaptive Audio” in Google Meet is rolling out gradually and will be available to all Google Workspace users with Gemini Enterprise, Gemini Business, Gemini Education, Gemini Education Premium, and the AI Meetings and Messaging add-on over the next few years. weeks.
