Those of us who live for real estate are also generally interested in the future of homes and lifestyle. If you think your new car is complicated, wait until you see your new home in about 20 years.
A couple of months ago, I read an extensive article in the Wall Street Journal compiled by a range of architects, designers and manufacturers to help us understand the home of the future. The primary point of the piece is that artificial intelligence (AI) technology will transform our homes and the way we live in them.
The one constant of American homes, from early farmhouses to today’s mega-mansions, is the desire for increased comfort made possible by centuries of advancing technology. With the rise of AI, homes are on track to transform yet again, likely making today’s luxury items mainstream in the years ahead.
Starting with the front door: throw your keys away; keypads will be the new normal for entry. In addition, sensors and cameras will know it’s you and let you in, and can be programmed to recognize designated friends and family, or even your repair technician.
Underfloor heating will give way to walls that radiate heat through construction materials, adjusting temperatures based on occupants’ activity.
Kitchens are the heart of a home, and a gathering room, and this space will undergo the biggest transformation. Because of advances in technology, and the current trend for disguising appliances, kitchens will visually disappear. With appliances tucked away, you will not feel like you’re living in a kitchen while helping the kids with their homework or sharing a glass of wine with a friend.
Merging appliances could also be in the future. Imagine the elements of an induction stove merging with countertops, doubling as a stove. After the pot boils, you can remove it and chop onions on the same surface, or go back to work.
If you have an AI stove, you’ll need an AI refrigerator. The future refrigerator will keep track of food about to expire and either come up with a recipe to use the product or add it to the ongoing grocery list. Once the grocery list is ready, the AI refrigerator will place the order and coordinate deliveries.
By now, most of us are familiar with LED lighting, but future LED lighting systems will be able to mimic the qualities of natural light and adjust over the course of the day. This is currently an expensive, exotic luxury, but it will eventually become standard. In conjunction with this technology, LED will also create video walls throughout the house.
Finally, bathrooms will become beauty and wellness consultants, offering advice for every aspect of your health. Your AI “health coach” will even know when to open and close the toilet seat, depending on which family member is in the bathroom.
Some of this sounds a little over the top and scary to me. Although I do like the refrigerator keeping a grocery list and arranging for everything to be delivered, I wonder if we could train AI to also monitor the pantry.
I hope this column was a break from reading about property tax issues, bridge-building craziness and housing affordability for a change. I just keep thinking, if my refrigerator will be smarter than me, what will my future car do? Read from “Ulysses” while I’m driving?
