Smart technology is a growing trend. These devices help you navigate your everyday life ” whether you’re getting directions or locking your doors from your phone while on the go. When you put these innovations together, you get a smart home. In these homes, artificial intelligence (AI) plays a significant role in bringing “smartness” to the next level.
The Rise of Smart Homes
Technology has been growing on somewhat of an exponential curve in the last decade. With the rise of smartphones, tech has taken the world to new and groundbreaking places. Lately, there’s been an increasing trend with residential households being “smart” ” which experts predict will surpass 300 million homes in 2023. Technology that only did one or two jobs is now going above and beyond to cater to personal needs and preferences to create more energy-efficient homes that have better security and health features like monitoring filtered water and air quality.
Two factors contribute to this rise of smart tech ” AI and the Internet of Things (IoT). AI puts automation on a learning curve where devices adapt to your needs and constantly evolve. IoT, on the other hand, connects everything to the internet. It provides a network of connectivity for all smart devices.
When you bring these two innovations into the home, the residence becomes a smart home. The devices making up a smart home can be as simple as LED lights that you control from your mobile device. Other systems can be as complicated as a smart home hub like Amazon‘s Alexa.
Smart homes also use a branch of AI called machine learning, which can involve something as simple as Netflix recommending shows and movies to you from your smart TV. It all occurs under the power of smart home AI.
Thus, the more devices a home has, the smarter it becomes.
How AI Plays a Role
Artificial intelligence is powerful. It mimics the knowledge and learning abilities of humans, all on a technological basis. When Apple first introduced Siri in 2011, it was a groundbreaking accomplishment. This system uses AI to answer questions, jot down reminders, schedule calendar events and so much more. Now, the public expects mobile and desktop devices to use AI.
However, smart homes take this foundation and apply it to many other devices. For instance, thermostats used to be manual and plain. With AI integrations, though, newer models can automatically adjust to the user’s preferences. Similarly, smart washers and dryers that use AI can detect when clothes are still damp and adapt accordingly.
Smart lighting uses AI to adjust automatically to the time of day or even to fit the mood of music coming through a smart speaker system. Smart home hubs like those from Google and Amazon go above and beyond to meet your every need ” routines, music, shopping, phone calls and questions.
These examples all show the importance of AI. The main focus is on automation. Smart devices in your home operate with your preferences and needs in mind. The end goal is that the system adds convenience so you can do as little as possible, which would not be possible without AI. As a bonus, automation improves energy efficiency within many devices as well.
AI learns from experience, feedback and data. For example, if the smart thermostat adjusts the temperature up, but you turn it back down, that is a learning experience. The machinery constantly evolves. All the devices in your smart home ultimately work to fit your desires.
Concerns Regarding Data
Though many people love smart homes, there’s still public hesitation concerning data and AI. Most devices, especially those that connect to the IoT and use AI, store private information. In turn, some people are skeptical of how tech companies store and manage this data.
As research has shown, 83% of Americans who responded to a HarrisX survey believe tougher regulations are necessary for data privacy. Plus, with the dozens of controversies that Facebook has been at the center of ” specifically with user data and privacy ” consumers are wary.
Though most smart devices come with security protections and privacy protocols, companies will likely need to do more to sway consumers should data scandals continue to arise.
AI for the Future
For the foreseeable future, AI is not going anywhere. It can tailor everything to your liking and keep all your devices running smoothly. AI has become integral to technology and its advancements, and without it, smart homes would not exist.
