Artificial intelligence is changing the way we live in ways you may not even realize. Maybe you don’t let AI write your e-mail replies, but you might be surprised by how many products use AI. From searching Google to find the best Thai restaurant to checking your fitness tracker for sleep data, AI isn’t some far-off, futuristic technology — it’s all around us.
One of the most beneficial ways to harness the intelligence of artificial intelligence is with smart-home commands. If you regularly use AI chatbots or smart home gadgets that accept voice commands, then you may already be doing this.
There are tons of smart-home-centric commands that can make your life easier. Many of them go much deeper than simply letting AI add frozen peas to your shopping list when you use the last of the bag.
So, to help you smarten up your smart home, here are some of the best ways to integrate AI assistant commands into your everyday life.
Get the right lighting
“Activate my vacation lighting schedule.”
We’re done with harsh overhead lighting. One of the most helpful uses for AI in your home comes from setting a lighting schedule. With smart plugs, smart lamps, smart bulbs, and smart wall light switches, you can create your own custom lighting setups and schedules.
Once you’ve connected your lights to your smart assistant, you’ll be able to set schedules and use voice commands to turn lights on and off. That’s especially useful for turning on the lights when you arrive home at night or for creating the illusion that someone is home when you’re away on vacation.
Some devices even go an extra step and include an occupancy detector. This extra feature gives you the ability to turn lights on automatically when someone enters a room and then turn off once the space is unoccupied.
Set ideal wake-up and nighttime schedules
“Start my night-time routine.”
We all know sleep is important, and we’re repeatedly told that going to bed and waking up on a consistent schedule is useful. In theory, that sounds simple, but in practice, it’s a big ask, especially when your smartphone is constantly begging for attention. Instead of scrolling mindlessly before bedtime, use technology to create a better wind-down routine.
At night, your smart home assistant can dim the lights, play calming music, and drop the temp before bed. Come morning, turn on the lights, raise the blinds, and get some music going. For extra credit, use a smart sunrise alarm clock to help wake up naturally.
Now, when it’s time to sleep, simply ask your assistant to start your nighttime routine.
Ditch the paid language app
“Talk to me in Spanish.”
The greatest polyglots on Earth can’t compete with AI’s ability to speak in almost any language. Instead of feeling guilty every time you ignore the notifications from your language app, make language learning an everyday routine with AI.
Modern smart assistants are fluent in many languages and can help you brush up on your vocabulary at any time. You can even challenge yourself by setting the default language of your smart home devices into the language you’re learning. It’s the next best thing to language immersion.
Get the kids on task
“Remind the kids to do their homework.”
Life with kids is busy. Some of the most stressful moments come when getting ready in the morning, but AI is happy to lend a hand. With a smart speaker, parents can record messages to kids that play at a designated time each day. Let them know it’s time to get out of bed, get dressed for school, make their beds, and come to the kitchen for breakfast.
Make story time better than ever
“Tell me a funny story about a lost kangaroo.”
Smart assistants with AI features are usually powered by large-language models. And LLMs are excellent wordsmiths. Put that talent to good use by having it spin up a bedtime story just for your kids. You can even tailor the story to a specific reading level. Tomorrow night, you can ask your AI storyteller to pick up right where you left off.
Set the dinner menu
“Plan a dinner menu with what’s left in the fridge.”
It’s Thursday night, and no one has been to the store since last weekend. Ingredients are running thin, and you’re not in the mood to eat pasta with a jar of sauce. Instead, ask AI to create a dinner menu based on the ingredients you currently have at home.
If you don’t have a smart refrigerator, simply read off a list of your ingredients to your phone or smart speaker and let the AI come up with the dinner plan. Of course, you can also get AI to add items to your shopping list and set yourself a reminder to stop by the store on the way home from work tomorrow night.
Keep your smart home safe
“Who’s at the front door?”
By now, most of us have smart home safety integrations in place. Smart doorbells, security cameras, floodlights, and smart locks help us stay safe. Many of these devices will send you notifications when something unexpected happens, whether a stranger is at the front door, a loud noise has been detected, or a family of raccoons has taken an interest in your garbage cans.
Go old-school with a home intercom system
“Tell the kids to come inside at 5 p.m.”
Growing up, did any of your friends’ parents have an intercom system in their houses? Now, you don’t have to be wealthy or live in a sprawling estate to install an intercom in your home.
So long as you have a smart speaker in each room and a video doorbell or camera on the front porch, you’ll be able to make house-wide announcements. This’ll be great for reminding kids it’s time to come inside without hitting pause on dinner prep.
Abide by quiet hours
“Activate quiet time protocol every night at 10:55 p.m.”
If you live in an apartment, dorm, or a duplex, you probably have set quiet hours. Ignoring these can come with angry neighbors or warnings from the landlord. But it’s not always easy on Saturday night when belting out Britney Spears karaoke songs to keep track of the time. Instead of getting a knock on your door at 11 p.m., set your speaker or the TV to automatically lower the volume at a set time. Your party will automatically get the memo that it’s time to wind down.
Ditch the doldrums
“Turn on my happy routine.”
For many of us, it’s been a long, cold winter. Sometimes, changing your physical environment can help with regaining some feel-good vibes. Fortunately, you can have your AI assistant of choice kick in with a “feel good” mode, turning on a pre-made playlist of joyful tunes, turning on mood lighting, or playing your favorite sitcom episodes on the TV. A combination of smart plugs, lights, and gadgets could help change the vibe.
Find a misplaced phone
“Help me find my phone!”
Is your phone permanently on silent mode? Same. Of course, this habit comes with a really obvious downside — when you misplace your phone, you can’t just call it and follow the ringtone. Instead of going into panic mode, AI can help find a phone that’s likely hiding in a pile of blankets.
Some smart assistants can activate a “Find My Phone” function to help with this exact emergency. Keep in mind you’ll need to enable this skill before you lose your phone.
Keep a comfortable temperature
“Help me lower my energy bill.”
One of the most useful smart home capabilities? Upgrading to a smart thermostat. These smart gadgets can learn your ideal temperature preferences and set schedules throughout the day that keep you comfortable and save energy.
