AI in the Smart Home: Convenience, Privacy and Control

Voice assistants, cameras and thermostats increasingly use AI. They can make life easier, and they collect a lot about you.

• Voice control: lights, music, timers and questions.
• Learning thermostats that adapt to your routine and weather.
• Security cameras that tell people, pets and parcels apart.
• Robot vacuums that map and clean efficiently.
• Energy management: shifting use to cheaper or greener times.
• Appliances that suggest recipes or detect faults.
• Accessibility: hands-free control for people with mobility or vision needs.
• Conversational assistants that handle multi-step requests.

• Is audio or video stored, and where?
• Who can listen to or review recordings?
• Is data shared with third parties or used to train models?
• Can processing happen locally on the device?
• How long is data kept, and can you delete it?

1. Change default passwords and use unique ones.
2. Enable two-factor authentication.
3. Keep firmware updated.
4. Put smart devices on a separate network (guest Wi-Fi) if possible.
5. Disable features you don't use, such as microphones or cameras.
6. Buy from reputable brands with ongoing support.

Tell visitors, avoid pointing cameras at neighbours' private spaces, and follow local rules on recording audio.

Devices that stop working when a company closes its servers, or that need constant cloud connection for basic features.

Choose devices that offer local control, clear privacy settings and ongoing updates, and secure them like any other computer.