One of the largest problems facing the adoption of the connected-home is that the category doesn’t necessarily provide owners with a lot of value. The typical smart home system is sold with a pitch of “your home on your phone.” Most of us don’t need that. We don’t need to install a $3,000 connected-home system when our light switches work just fine. We don’t need to spend money to do something that we can already do and do easier.
That’s why IoT and security systems are such great bedfellows: the former enhances the latter, and the latter provides real value that home owners are actively looking for.
To succeed, IoT needs to bring obvious value. For those looking at the eventual convergence of IoT and AI, keep an eye on the likes of OpenAI, a non-profit backed by the likes of Elon Musk. One of OpenAI’s stated goals is to create a platform that could power a robot “to perform basic housework” chores.
Intelligence. Outcome. Benefits.
Like all things connected-home, it would start out slow. We’re years away from robots handling our chores to the degree of Rosie in The Jetsons. But with the likes of Roomba already popular, and the ability to really revolutionise the other dull household chores that all detract from quality of life, the potential is there. And so are most of the gadgets already. We just have to intelligently connect them.