What we’re watching next in consumer

Smart-home AI just moved in—and it's charging rent.

Testing shows a quiet, undeniable shift: devices once pitched as standalone gadgets increasingly rely on cloud-powered features that demand ongoing subscriptions and sign-ins. From cameras and speakers to robotic vacuums and smart hubs, the AI that once seemed bundled with a one-time purchase is now part of a long-term service plan. In hands-on reviews across CNET Smart Home coverage, The Verge reports on gadget ecosystems, and Wired Gear’s product investigations, the throughline is clear: the device price is no longer the only number that matters.

What’s changing, practically, is how you own a smart home. Many devices now require you to create an account, link to a vendor’s cloud, and pay for “premium” AI features or routines that were once advertised as built-in. Testing shows that even “free” feature sets can be gated behind subscription tiers or cloud processing that only works when the device can reach its servers. Real-world performance reveals a growing split: core functions (basic automation, local routines) may still run, but the more ambitious AI features—voice-optimization, proactive suggestions, or advanced scene control—often depend on cloud compute and an active subscription. The result is a cost of ownership that evolves after the box is opened.

For consumers, the impact is real. In practical terms, you may buy a robot vacuum for a single price, only to discover that the best cleaning modes or smart mapping require a paid plan or an annual cloud service. For those in areas with spotty WiFi or in homes that occasionally lose internet, that “AI” edge can vanish when connectivity falters, and support pages frequently warn that some features won’t function offline. In user reports, patterns suggest this isn’t a one-off quirk—it's a business model trend: devices are increasingly marketed with AI gloss, but the value hinges on ongoing services rather than the core hardware alone.

The economics are murky by design. Full price with all subscription fees broken out isn’t standardized across brands or even regions. Some products ship with a base price and offer optional AI modules; others push a mandatory cloud tier that converts a one-time purchase into a multi-year cost. In hands-on reviews, testers found that the “no-strings-attached” ideal is rare; the most convenient routines, voice controls, and predictive automations often come behind a paywall. Real-world performance remains a mixed bag: a device may function well offline for basic tasks, but the features most people want—contextual suggestions, smarter automation, cross-device routines—live in the cloud.

For shoppers, the takeaway is practical: know what you’re paying for, what you’re giving up, and how long you’ll pay. Read product pages with a skeptic’s eye; ask about offline modes and data practices; and consider what happens if a service is sunset or if the vendor raises prices. The devices themselves can be solid, but the AI overlay is the variable cost.

What we’re watching next in consumer

Subscriptions as standard: more devices nudge you toward cloud plans; monitor pricing shifts and auto-renew terms.

Interoperability cliffs: will vendors enable cross-brand routines, or keep AI features locked to their own ecosystem?

Offline AI viability: which devices keep essential AI features working without internet, and how reliable is fallback processing?

Data, privacy, and control: how transparent are vendors about data use, retention, and opt-out options?

A clearer total-cost story: expect base prices to be less informative than the ongoing cost of AI features and cloud services.

Sources

CNET Smart Home

The Verge

Wired Gear