Every day, the world of smart home continues to grow. Devices get cleverer, expanding their use and capability, to become an integral part of a modern home.
One of the biggest tech-related buzzwords is AI. What is it really? Is it that helpful? Will it put people out of work? Will machines take over the world?? And so on.
While the last two questions hopefully will never come to fruition, the answer to whether AI is a helpful addition to the smart home roster is most definitely a yes.
If you didn't already know, AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. Generative AI, that is, the AI that generates any form of data, from words and pictures to specific actions tailored exactly to a task, is slowly becoming more prevalent in humble kitchen appliances. It allows the machine to judge the best way to cook dishes, wash clothes, and help you keep track of your food to reduce food waste.
And it doesn't stop there. 'AI is also helping our products to last longer, too,' explains Tanya Weller, director at Samsung. 'If for some reason, your washing machine or vacuum cleaner stops working, the machine will run a self-diagnosis, then you'll get a notification like clean your drum or clean your filter.'
1. Extra clever washing machines
These days, the latest washing machines often come with auto-dosing - this means you top up a cartridge or tank in the machine with detergent when required, and the machine will automatically add a dose of detergent to the drum on every wash.
But certain models also feature sensor-controlled functionality that assesses the type of laundry in the machine simply by the way it hits the drum as it spins.
Depending on the model, they can then tailor the correct wash cycle to the contents, as well as the exact amount of detergent required, thus reducing on the cost of running your washing machine by saving water and detergent. All you need to do is switch it on and it’ll do the rest.
2. Astute ovens
While quite a few brands have added Wi-Fi functionality to their ovens, meaning you can adjust the cooking temperature via your smartphone, just like you would with a smart heating system, or check the progress of a cake via a camera in the oven, the addition of AI technology enhances an oven’s versatility even further.
An AI-enhanced oven will monitor a variety of settings via sensors in the cavity, like temperature and humidity, adjusting the settings accordingly to ensure perfect results every time.
3. Super smart fridges
Do you ever go to get something from your fridge only to realise that someone in your family has already used it? With AI-enabled fridge freezers, this is a thing of the past. These clever models are kitted out with internal fridge cameras that can detect and identify the contents.
They keep a stock take of what's inside - which you can access on your smartphone anytime. When an item is removed, it’s deleted from the list. So if you run out of something, you’ve only got yourself to blame.
It'll also help with the dreaded daily dilemma of what to cook for dinner. 'With the Bespoke AI Family Hub fridge freezer, you can ask the integrated voice assistant Bixby: "What's in the fridge Bixby? What shall I have for dinner?" It'll then assess the contents and suggest recipes for you,' explains Tanya from Samsung.
'It'll also recognise your voice, so if someone in the family has a dairy allergy, asks, Bixby won't suggest recipes to them that contain dairy.'
So while we're hundreds of years off robots taking over the world, it's important to note that AI functionality won’t change the way we use appliances. We'll still use them for washing clothes, cooking meals, storing food, and so on.
AI will, however, enhance the user experience when doing all these repetitive, mundane chores, making them far more energy-efficient, and saving time and money, so everyone's a winner.
The best smart appliances to look out for
Want to bring some AI to your kitchen? Here are just a few of the latest smart appliances with built-in AI that have hit the market...
Samsung has a whole raft of ingenious appliances with built-in AI technology under its Bespoke AI umbrella.
For instance, the AI Opti Wash & Dry function this washer dryer features will assess both the fabric and the stains on the clothing within, choose the optimum dose of detergent, as well as the ideal wash and dry cycle to ensure your laundry comes out clean and dry.
Yes, it's undoubtedly expensive - but it's two appliances in one and features a whopping 18kg load capacity, meaning you'll end up doing fewer loads of washing - and that's a win in our book.
All of Bosch's Series 8 ovens feature built-in AI. This allows the oven to predict when the contents are perfectly cooked.
Now, this doesn't mean you simply pop it in the oven and hope for the best, though the level of what you need to do is reduced considerably. The oven comes with a wide selection of cooking programmes that you can select on the oven's touchscreen.
Once you've chosen the right one for your dish, the oven does the rest, adjusting the temperature and cooking time depending on the amount of moisture the contents release as it cooks.
The obstacle that usually stops people buying a robot vacuum is literally just that - obstacles. No-one wants to constantly have to keep a lookout for random wires on the floor, scattered Nerf gun bullets, or even worse, something that the dog left on the good rug.
But all of these can do a robot vacuum some serious damage it they suck them up. Roborock’s S7 MaxV uses AI to scan, detect and identify the items in its path, swerving them if they look like they look like they might be trouble.
So, what do you think - are these new AI advances likely to make their way into your kitchen, or are you happier keeping things a little more analogue?
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