I just got it last week. Still a few quirks, but positive so far.

It seems to forget about what I do and don't have access to (in terms of apps). I've had to remind it that I have Spotify and YT music more than once.

Other than that agreed going okay so far.

Do you have an option to not use it? Google forcefully updated my TV and the normal assistant is gone now

First thing I do after I purchase any smart TV - turn off network access, disable auto-updates (mine is a Sony). So, this way 1) it can collect whatever it wants but it can't phone back home and 2) I don't wake up one day and find myself on a learning curve I didn't sign up for (happened to me once, they completely re-did the UI, for worse!)

How do you watch anything without network access?

I use Apple TV and give it network access instead, this way the TV doesn't have the chance to update. My Apple TV is set to update manually too. Of course, the assumption here is Apple TV doesn't phone home - and I'm no Apple fanboy, but I think this is as close as we get to online streaming with privacy.

Roku

It is widely rolled out now and not just in the US.

Well good for you, but that doesn't change the fact that I can't use it. Everything is a mishmash of the old Assistant and Gemini. Sometimes even my Google Home answers in the old Assistant voice (you know... "Sorry, I don't understand"

Can you use it as your CarPlay assistant?

This.

Android feels like more of a liability than an asset to Google these days.