We knew this moment was coming, but who would be responsible for bringing it to market? That was the question. That question has been answered by Josh.ai, a “higher end” home automation system that uses the same tech that powers OpenAI’s ChatGPT to bring us their smart assistant, called JoshGPT. This is a big moment in AI and smart home history. Whether the platform is any good, or not, the fact that the step has been made means that many other manufacturers will follow suit—and so, the AI revolution has begun.
Our editor, Art, got a good look at Josh.AI in its development stage (pre-Covid), and it looked impressive. Now, about 5 years later here’s where Josh is, and is going…
Intelligence Test: JoshGPT vs Alexa, Google, and Siri
If you have Alexa or another voice assistant, you may have realized by now there are a great many things these AI assistants cannot do. You may have also realized how annoyed you are by this. You’re not alone. We’ve all been irritated.
If you’ve been playing around with ChatGPT since November like many of us have, you may have had the same thoughts as the rest of us: Why can’t these “smart assistants” be as intelligent as ChatGPT? When will I be able to have a back-and-forth conversation with Alexa, or Google Assistant, or Siri, that is as useful as what I get back from ChatGPT?
Josh.ai was determined to not only answer these questions, but to bring a solution to the market. That’s why they created JoshGPT as a hands-free generative AI solution. This AI understands linguistic nuances that prompt the other AI’s to say, “Hm, I don’t know that one.” Or some other infuriating version of that.
The kind of commands you can give a GPT model are far more complex than anything you can say to Alexa or the other voice assistants. For example, I know a special education teacher at the high school level who asked ChatGPT to create a version of Of Mice and Men at a third grade reading level. It did.
When I asked Alexa to do the same thing, she tried to buy the audiobook on Audible with one of my credits. I’m saving that credit for something else related to my craft, and I didn’t want that book. Luckily, she needs my approval to buy things. My credit is safe! For now…
What JoshGPT, and the other GPT models do, is called generative AI. It allows you to ask multiple questions in a row and get back specific answers related to your query. You can ask it to explain the different types of televisions—OLED, ULED, etc.—as if you were a six-year-old. You can also ask it to help you plan travel experiences, dining, activities, shopping, and more. But there is a catch!
JoshGPT: A Luxury Smart Home Experience
This is currently an exclusive experience that requires professional installation in custom homes, and the cost—don’t blink, now—$4,000 to $14,000. That’s hardly a typical consumer cost, so you can consider this to be a high-end AI for now. In time, the price may become more affordable for the average person, but they may keep it as a luxury experience. Who knows what the future holds at this point?
For that $4,000 to $14,000, you get two Josh Nano and Josh Micro microphones that are location-aware, and a handheld Josh remote, all controlled by the Josh app. And, of course, the AI itself, which is the whole reason you’d be getting the system in the first place. At public launch, there will be new Intelligent Areas to group devices and rooms for more personalization, but the customization and setup is completed by professional installers.
The AI Revolution is Upon Us
The advent of the first GPT-powered smart home platform marks a significant milestone in the evolution of home automation. Its ability to understand, learn, and adapt to user preferences brings us closer to the realization of a truly intelligent and personalized living environment. As this technology continues to advance, we can expect even more sophisticated and seamless integrations, further enhancing the ease of our daily lives and transforming the way we interact with our homes. The future of smart homes is undoubtedly bright, and the GPT-powered platform is leading the way towards an unparalleled era of intelligent living.
Josh AI has to be considered one of the real pioneers of bringing “AI” tech to the smart home. We’ll be watching, to see how bright Josh AI’s future will be.
Is their future so bright we’ll all have to wear shades?
