AI-Powered Samsung SmartThings: Revolutionizing Home Energy Efficiency - Insights From ZDNet

SmartThings Energy gives users a glimpse into their whole-home energy consumption.

SmartThings/ZDNET

We need all the savings we can get in times like these, where grocery prices are still high and news of layoffs can’t seem to stay off the headlines. A smart home can help save some money -- you can rest easy knowing you didn’t forget to flick the lights off before bed because Alexa did it for you. SmartThings can help you visualize your home energy consumption in black and white, empowering you to do more than ever with that information.

Now, SmartThings Energy is adding extra features to its platform, including incorporating artificial intelligence to optimize home energy use, a partnership with Electricity Maps to provide energy source insights, support for more commonly-used third-party devices, enhanced automatic response functionality for intelligent device management, and cash rewards and savings during high-energy consumption periods.

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Samsung added AI Energy Mode to its products to get them to use the least energy possible. This helps me intelligently adapt to environments to learn and adjust to temperature changes in a room, to learn to weigh the drum in the washing machine, to detect if the fridge door was left open, and more.

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“With energy costs at their peak, it has never been more important to provide users with effective solutions to lower their energy expenses and reduce consumption,” said Barry Holland, director of product management at SmartThings Energy.

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Because these devices use enhanced systems on select cycles and products to save up to 70% of energy, changes have helped customers use the AI Energy Mode within SmartThings to save over 1.8 GWh in a year, which converts into 1,800,000 kWh, though results can vary.

Samsung SmartThings will also now support many more products on the energy consumption side of the SmartThings app, with more third-party devices now being compatible with SmartThings Energy, giving users a better look at whole-home energy monitoring.

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“SmartThings Energy has revolutionized the home energy category, and we are witnessing a growing number of users who are acutely aware of the need for increased savings and control over their energy consumption,” according to Holland.

Adding these third-party devices into the SmartThings Energy umbrella expands support beyond Samsung appliances and HVAC systems to let the innovative home platform enable ‘Away’ mode for devices like smart lights, outlets, and thermostats by automatically turning them off when not in use.

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The new updates, which will begin rolling out in the SmartThings app at the end of June, also gamify the energy-saving experience. Users can get rewards for selecting devices they want to participate in the existing Demand Response program.

Instead of consumers manually adjusting devices or setting up automations to participate in these programs, SmartThings Energy will automatically adjust the chosen devices using AI Energy Mode after the new update is rolled out.

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The Demand Response program rewards consumers for reducing their energy consumption during peak energy usage hours. Users can check their zip code after activating SmartThings Energy through the SmartThings app to participate.

Holland explained, “These new features exemplify our unwavering commitment to addressing these critical needs and empowering users with advanced energy management capabilities.”

As an example, an average household in New York enrolled in GridRewards through SmartThings Energy could earn up to $100 per year.

Samsung also announced a new partnership with Electricity Maps to provide energy source insights for its customers. This feature visualizes the sources of electricity and associated carbon dioxide emissions, so users can make better-informed decisions to reduce their carbon footprint.