Google introduced a new feature for its video conferencing platform, Google Meet, on Wednesday (May 22). Named “Adaptive Audio”, Google says it lets users hop on Meet using multiple laptops in the same room without the echo that usually ensues and creates “audio feedback”. It was announced alongside another feature that makes it easy to manage communication in Spaces. This comes just weeks after the company announced the integration of Gemini 1.5 Pro Large Language Model (LLM) into Google Meet, bringing information retrieval and meeting summarisation capabilities.
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 synchronises the speakers and the microphones to avoid the echo that usually comes when multiple devices are placed in close proximity. As per the blog, it becomes useful when using non-traditional spaces, such as cafes and lounges, as meeting rooms. Furthermore, Google also claims that it can prove beneficial to 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 be heard clearly, without the inconvenience of crowding around a single laptop,” the company said.
When multiple participants join the call in the same room, this feature is automatically activated and an icon is visible on the top-left corner of the screen, Google says. It groups people in the “Participants” panel and merges their audio to “ensure everyone can hear and be heard well.” It is turned On by default and there is no Admin control for it, while turning it off may cause an “echo or a howling noise”. Users can toggle it by going to Settings > Audio > Adaptive audio.
“Adaptive Audio” on Google Meet is being rolled out in a gradual manner 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 coming weeks.
