By Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Publication Date: 2025-12-23 13:30:00
This morning I asked my Alexa-enabled Bosch coffee maker to make me coffee. Instead of carrying out my routine, I was told it wasn’t possible. Since I switched to Alexa Plus, Amazon’s generative AI voice assistant, it no longer works reliably with my coffee routine and has given me a different excuse almost every time I ask.
It’s 2025 and the AI still can’t reliably control my smart home. I’m starting to wonder if this will ever be the case.
The potential for generative AI and large language models to reduce the complexity of the smart home and simplify the setup, use and management of connected devices is compelling. This also applies to the promise of a “new layer of intelligence” that could enable a proactive, atmospheric home.
But this year has shown me that we are still a long way from that. Instead, our reliable but limited voice assistants have been replaced by “smarter” versions that, while better conversationalists, can’t consistently handle basic tasks like operating devices and…
