Philips Hue’s new AI lighting assistant is finally here, but don’t expect perfection

Philips Hue has launched its new AI lighting assistant, but users should not anticipate a flawless experience just yet. The Custom AI Behaviors feature, which is currently accessible only to those with the Hue Bridge Pro, enables users to describe their desired home automation behavior using natural language. The AI then translates this description into a specialized programming language and adds the resulting automation to the Hue app.

George Yianni, the founder and head of technology at Hue, expressed excitement about AI's potential to revolutionize the platform. He noted that natural language allows users to articulate precisely how they want their home to function, and the AI handles the translation into executable code. Yianni shared his enthusiasm, stating, "I now can finally have my home behave exactly the way I wanted to."

However, early adopters of the AI feature have encountered limitations. According to HueBlog, the AI sometimes fails to execute behaviors as intended. For instance, when users requested specific lights to turn on at sunset with varying color themes, the AI inadvertently activated all lights. Attempts to correct this issue by the AI were unsuccessful, resulting in an error message. This suggests that the feature may be overly constrained by the AI's inherent logic and reasoning, leaving users at the mercy of its outcomes.

Unlike more advanced automation systems like Apple's Shortcuts, users cannot modify the AI-generated behaviors if they do not align with their expectations. This lack of customization capability resembles a version 1.0 issue, where a feature is released and subsequently improved based on user feedback. Fortunately, the Hue team has a track record of promptly updating its app to accommodate new features.

While the Custom AI Behaviors and SpatialAware scene optimization are currently exclusive to the Hue Bridge Pro, the Hue app continues to provide updates for all Hue users. These updates include simplified Screen Sync setup and enhanced scene recommendations. The Hue app remains available for both iOS and Android devices.