At Parks Associates' CONNECTIONS Conference, the AI data was encouraging, but the gaps – trust, complexity, and monetization – remain unsolved.

AI dominated all three days of Parks Associates' 30th annual CONNECTIONS Conference, linking security, energy, health, broadband, and workforce – but monetization, trust, and reduced complexity will determine how fast it transforms everyday living.

Across three days of Parks Associates' 30th annual CONNECTIONS Conference, AI emerged as the defining theme linking security, energy, broadband, infrastructure, mobility, and the future workforce. The message was consistent: AI is here, but the industry's ability to monetize it, build trust around it, and make it useful without overwhelming consumers will determine how quickly it transforms everyday living.

Parks Associates research shared during the opening workshop found that 58% of U.S. internet households use AI, while 16% pay a fee for AI tools. Jennifer Kent, SVP and principal analyst, noted that consumers now own an average of 17.8 connected devices – a wide installed base for AI-enabled services. But adoption does not equal trust. AI tools carry a Net Promoter Score of just 4, underscoring a significant gap between usage and confidence.

Additional data points from Parks Associates research of 8,000 U.S. internet households:

• Roughly 50% of households have some form of security solution.
• 31% of consumers intend to upgrade their security camera.
• Rapid Response Monitoring reports it can clear 93% of calls without dispatching when richer context is available.
• John Mack of Raymond James cited roughly $8 trillion in cash on corporate balance sheets globally, creating investment pressure around AI-enabled security and safety.

From the article, "The Smart Money: AI Moves from Promise to Platform" by Elizabeth Parks