Hot-word free adaptation of one or more function(s) of an automated assistant. Sensor data, from one or more sensor components of an assistant device that provides an automated assistant interface (graphical and/or audible), is processed to determine occurrence and/or confidence metric(s) of various attributes of a user that is proximal to the assistant device. Whether to adapt each of one or more of the function(s) of the automated assistant is based on the occurrence and/or the confidence of one or more of the various attributes. For example, certain processing of at least some of the sensor data can be initiated, such as initiating previously dormant local processing of at least some of the sensor data and/or initiating transmission of at least some of the audio data to remote automated assistant component(s).