Hi guys! Marina Ventura here… your adventurer into the wonders of the world! I’m on a mission to explore one of the biggest adventures of the 21st century… the world of Artificial Intelligence and how it can benefit our future energy. Wanna come too? Excellent!

Today, we’re going home. And that’s because AI isn’t just for labs and robots – it’s already working away in our homes, transforming them into energy-efficient ecosystems.

From morning to night, AI is helping make homes more comfortable, energy-efficient, and let’s be honest… more fun too.

Let’s start with something many of us already use… voice assistants! Alexa, Siri, Google – they answer questions, set alarms, play your favourite songs, and through connected apps can even control the heating and lights… and see who’s at the door!

This tech is getting smarter all the time… Voice assistants can learn your voice and preferences over time, so they get better at understanding what you want. That’s AI learning from data.

Streaming services like Netflix and Spotify also use AI, with algorithms suggesting shows and songs based on what you’ve watched or listened. It’s often hard to know HOW they know so much – that’s why it’s important to make sure you get help to check the settings on anything you look at online.

You might have seen online shops use AI to recommend products you might like. Spooky how it seems to know exactly what you’re after.

AI is even tidying up, literally. Robot vacuum cleaners zoom around, mapping your house, avoiding obstacles and even emptying themselves.

And in the kitchen, smart fridges can tell you when food is going off, suggest recipes and even order groceries.

But it’s not just about convenience. AI can make homes greener too, helping control heating and cooling to save energy.

Smart thermostats learn when you’re home and what temperature you like, turning down the heat when you’re out and saving power.

And then there’s safety. AI-powered security cameras can recognise familiar faces, tell you when parcels arrive, or warn you if someone’s snooping around.

There are even home robots that play games, patrol the house and read bedtime stories!

And let’s not forget about smart locks that let you open doors with your phone – just think… no more lost keys!

Of course, we need to be careful. With so much personal data flying around, it’s important these systems protect your privacy and stay secure.

Whilst AI can make life easier, greener and more fun, it’s our choice whether we use it, and it must be designed in a fair and ethical way. After all, computers don’t have feelings… humans are important to help shape the decisions that AI will make for us, and control how it gathers the data it uses.

It takes a lot of energy to power AI – and that demand is going to increase in the years to come. There’s a need to balance convenience with sustainability. That’s a challenge for the engineers – now and of the future!

MARINA MISSION!

So now over to you! I want you to have a think about one way AI could help you and your family. What’s one household chore you’d love AI to help with? Could it be folding your laundry, or cleaning your hamster cage? Or maybe an AI-powered homework helper that explains tricky maths problems in super fun ways?

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