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CONNECTIONS Summit Recap: AI in the Smart Home Applications and Ethics

Learn more about the CONNECTIONS Summit at CES session: AI in the Smart Home: Applications and Ethics featuring speakers from Universal Electronics, Intuition Robotics, Josh.ai, Open Home Foundation, and Nice Group. Watch the full session here!

Arsham Hatambeiki, SVP Product & Technology, Universal Electronics

Using AI doesn't help sell to consumers, but it does help selling to the stakeholders. You mention AI, and the consumer is turned off.

We focus on specific use cases, and try to be the best at those, to be useful as a standalone product, and better at that than generalized AI.

Amalia Katz-Doron, Head of Strategic Marketing, Intuition Robotics

AI has been a game charger for us, allowing ElliQ to have much more natural and wide and deep conversation: everything from historic events, to leisure activities, to memories.

When you build something simple and easy to use, they use it. We see that 56% of people say that they feel more connected to the world through ElliQ.

Casey Levy-Tulloch, Director of Business Development, Josh.ai

The way people are using JoshGPT, cooking is one major way: how many teaspoons in a recipe for example. But we just released our top 10 commands for 2024, and they were all device commands, such as those for  thermostat or lights.

What problem is the AI solving in a unique way? Looking for unique ways to use it in an impactful way, that creates value for your business: retention, for example. You don’t want to be a loss leader.

Paulus Schoutsen, President, Open Home Foundation

Five years ago, it was like, “how can we compete with the big tech?”, because we had to use their voice assistants and platform. But now, the kinds of models out there are better than the original platforms. Now the goal is optimization of the technology, how to make sure the inputs are recognized and the outputs are what the user wants.

A lot of the talk of regulation is referencing yesterday’s problem, and not keeping up. For example, and AI product that is not updated in some time can be very dangerous.

Paul Williams, Global Managing Director for Home Management Business Unit, Nice Group

We’re leveraging AI in several different ways, such as natural voice control. Natural language is important, because you don’t want to have to give a specific command. And it should be contextual. If you ask for the lights to be turned on, it makes sense that it would be in the room that you are in.

People are placing facial recognition in open or more public spaces, but not so many private places where you don’t want a camera. But we are seeing more acceptance of having devices in places that normally more private-we’re seeing the benefits outweigh the costs.

Looking to see CONNECTIONS in-person? CONNECTIONS: The Premier Connected Home Conference will be hosted May 13-15 at the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West Hotel - Click Here to Register!

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