A.I. in smartphones hasn't been as useful as we'd hoped, but in smart home tech it actually shines
Image credit — Jakub Zerdzicki (Pexels)
We've all been hearing about artificial intelligence (A.I.) for a while now. It's been creeping into our smartphones and other devices we use on the daily. But honestly, how much has it really helped us with our everyday tasks? Not a whole lot, in my opinion. However, it seems like there's another realm where A.I. is starting to find its footing — smart home technology, and that's actually where things are starting to get exciting.
One of the best examples I can use right now to illustrate my point is the most recent update to Google Home. This update has integrated A.I. in some really clever ways that could actually make a difference in how we manage our homes. For instance, Google introduced something called "A.I. Camera Search." This means your Nest cameras can now understand what's happening in your home, not just spot people or packages. Imagine being able to search your camera history by asking questions like, "Did a red car drive by the house today?" or "Did anyone stop by and knock?" There may be situations that you'd want to know about in case of an emergency that are not necessarily searchable in the way we have become accustomed to.
But it's not just Google who's making waves in the A.I. smart home space. Amazon has been integrating A.I. into their Alexa devices for a while now, allowing for more natural and intuitive voice interactions. And let's not forget about companies like Samsung and LG, who are incorporating A.I. into their appliances to make them more energy-efficient and personalized. We're even seeing A.I.-powered security systems that can distinguish between familiar faces and potential threats. It seems like every corner of the smart home is getting a touch of A.I. magic these days.
Take Samsung's Bespoke refrigerator, for example. This smart fridge uses A.I. to learn your family's usage patterns and optimize energy consumption accordingly. It can even suggest recipes based on the ingredients you have on hand. And with its built-in cameras, you can check what's inside your fridge from anywhere using your smartphone. That means no more forgetting what you need at the grocery store! It's these kinds of practical applications that make A.I. in smart home tech so promising.
Another Google example that can be used from its latest Home's update. I could never dream of asking my parents to set up a smart home routine within the Google Home app. I'd have to take over the entire process to show them how to do it, or set it up for them and hope for the best. Well, now there's a "Help Me Create" tool within the app that lets you simply describe what you want to happen in plain language, and the A.I. will take care of the rest. For example, you could say, "Turn on the Christmas lights outside, play my Holiday tunes playlist on the living room Nest speaker, and turn on the Christmas tree lights every night at sunset." And just like that, you have set a holiday routine.
'Help Me Create' feature in Google Home. | Image credit — Google
Now, I know that things break and A.I. cannot be relied upon to deliver perfect results — but it's not about that. We've been promised the moon with A.I. before, and it hasn't always lived up to expectations. But this time, things feel different. The way A.I. is being used in smart home tech seems genuinely practical and helpful. It's not just about flashy gimmicks as we have seen over and over again in smartphones; it's about making our lives easier and more convenient.
Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but it feels like A.I. is finally starting to deliver on its promise in the smart home space. And honestly, I'm pretty excited to see where it goes from here.
That said, though I'm always eager to try out the latest and greatest in technology, I'm also a bit wary of trends and hype. So, aside from my obvious excitement, I'm also approaching this new wave of A.I. in smart home tech with a dash of caution. I'm hopeful that it will truly make my home smarter and my life easier, but I'm also prepared for the possibility that at some point it might stop to live up to the hype. Either way, I'm definitely intrigued and will be keeping a close eye on how this technology develops.
I think it's important for us to be mindful of the potential downsides of A.I. as well. We need to make sure that it's used responsibly and ethically. But we also shouldn't be afraid to embrace the positive ways in which it can improve our lives. And who knows, maybe one day, our homes will be so smart that they'll practically run themselves — to a point of course. We've all seen the Terminator movies.
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