The smart home never quite worked. Now it's getting an AI reboot

Amazon and Google think that artificially intelligent assistants like Alexa+ and Gemini will speed up the process of setting up a smart home, but many problems remain unsolved.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 11:37pm

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Despite the hype around artificial intelligence, the smart home concept has struggled to gain widespread adoption due to the complexity of setting up and managing connected devices. Tech giants like Amazon and Google are now betting that their new AI assistants, Alexa+ and Gemini, will make it easier for families to enjoy living in a smart home. However, a hands-on test of Alexa+ by the author reveals that while the AI assistant can streamline some aspects of smart home setup, many of the core issues remain unsolved, including the need to download multiple apps for different devices and the unreliable performance of certain features.

Why it matters

The smart home concept has long been touted as the future of home automation, but it has failed to gain mainstream appeal due to the technical challenges involved. If AI-powered assistants like Alexa+ and Gemini can truly simplify the smart home experience, it could unlock broader consumer adoption and usher in a new era of connected living. However, if the core problems persist, it may further undermine confidence in the smart home and slow down its progress.

The details

The author tested a range of smart home accessories, including internet-connected light bulbs, door sensors, motion detectors, and a water leak detector, setting them up with Amazon's Alexa+ assistant. While Alexa+ was able to handle some basic tasks like scheduling the porch light to turn off at a certain time, it struggled with more complex features like gradually dimming a bedroom light. The author also encountered issues with the need to download separate apps for each accessory, as well as technical glitches like a water leak detector that failed to properly verify the user's account. These problems highlight the ongoing challenges of creating a truly seamless and reliable smart home experience.

  • The author ordered the smart home accessories in March 2026.
  • Amazon released Alexa+ last month.
  • Google is preparing to release a new smart speaker with Gemini this spring.

The players

Anish Kattukaran

Google's head of product overseeing its home devices.

Daniel Rausch

Amazon's vice president overseeing Alexa.

TP-Link

A company that manufactures the door sensor and motion sensor used in the author's test.

Kidde

The maker of the water leak detector used in the author's test.

WiZ

The company that manufactured the internet-connected light bulbs used in the author's test.

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What they’re saying

“It takes a lot to do it. This is where I think Gemini can be pretty transformative.”

— Anish Kattukaran, Google's head of product overseeing its home devices (The New York Times)

“One of the things we're going after with Alexa+ is trying to eliminate the role of home IT administrator. It's frustrating for everyone in the house.”

— Daniel Rausch, Amazon's vice president overseeing Alexa (The New York Times)

“The smart home definitely needs to keep getting easier.”

— Daniel Rausch, Amazon's vice president overseeing Alexa (The New York Times)

What’s next

Amazon said it was working to fix a bug related to dimming light bulbs with Alexa+, and the company stated that customer use of smart home features had increased as a result of Alexa+ and that the experience would continue to improve.

The takeaway

While AI-powered assistants like Alexa+ and Gemini hold promise for simplifying the smart home experience, the author's test reveals that many of the core challenges, such as the need for multiple apps and unreliable device performance, remain unsolved. Overcoming these hurdles will be crucial if tech companies want to drive widespread adoption of the smart home concept.