r/homeassistant • u/frenck_nl Home Assistant Lead @ OHF • 18d ago

Release 2025.8: The summer of AI ☀️

https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2025/08/06/release-20258/
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u/NomadicSun 18d ago

I don’t get the hate for AI. Being able to get rid of google/alexa devices and self host all that functionality is a huge upgrade for me. I love to see continuing improvements and functionality to that

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u/calinet6 18d ago edited 18d ago

I think hate toward LLM tech in general is understandable: it’s a problematic tech, vastly over-hyped, consumes way too many resources, is extremely misleading unless you genuinely understand the underlying tech, and the people who tend to idolize it are (to put it kindly) problematic.

However, all that said… if there’s one use case that LLMs are for, it’s to be the Star Trek Computer interface. That’s the one. That’s what they’re for. They’re language models and pattern matchers, this is what they’re good at.

And that’s what Home Assistant is getting close to here, and I think it’s very promising.

Anyway I don’t think we should be confused when people see problems with  LLM technologies: they are problematic. The best directions will come from acknowledging the complex reality, not trying to use them for everything, and applying them to use cases they’re good for (like this one).

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u/shortwhiteguy 18d ago

I think there are many more use cases that LLMs are well suited for than the "Star trek Computer interface", many of which are quite useful for Home Assistant. Just a few examples:

  • Converting unstructured/messy data into structured data. This allows you to programmatically parse data that would otherwise be a pain. E.g. "Return YAML with <schema> of all lights that are on separated by common colors (red, green, blue, yellow, etc.)" -> HA lists all alights and their RGB values -> LLM returns YAML separated by color -> Automation can make choices based on results
  • Summarizing lots of text/data down to something quickly digestible. E.g. "Over the last month, what automations have had the most triggers" -> HA lists all of the triggers for all automations over the past month -> LLM returns a summary of results
  • Contextually understanding an otherwise ambiguous request/prompt and turning that into a query.

All of those examples don't need to be triggered/interacted with in "chat" like scenario, they could all be used as part of an automation or script.

And from the looks of the latest updates from HA, they certainly are starting to open up those types of use cases for those who are interested in taking advantage.

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u/calinet6 18d ago

Yep. There are far more uses than just that. I’m just pretty excited about that one in particular, and I want it to work so well that we don’t even have to think about it.

There is merit in focusing until something is done right, and not getting distracted by 100 possibilities.