• TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    23 hours ago

    What is the benifit of AI in devices like fridges, washing machines and dish washers? We’ve had these devices for years now, even a 40 year old machine works flawlessly, just uses a bit excessive power. A fridge needs to cool, a washing machine needs to clean. They don’t need to do anything else, and they did this perfectly when we didn’t have AI.

    So to my understanding, AI implemented into these machines is just a way to make it more expensive to buy, adds the option for a subscription for constant income acting as a paywall, gives the opportunity to hoard loads of data from the customers and makes it easy to brick the device just after warranty so people buy more of your devices.

    TL:DR:

    • Manufacturer benefits: 4
    • Consumer benefits: -4
    • XeroxCool@lemmy.world
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      7 hours ago

      There is desire and benefit in these things being smart devices and AI is just the stupid label slapped on every smart device after 2024. A benefit of a smart washer is that it can, theoretically, do a more thorough and more efficient job of washing various amounts, sizes, thicknesses, and materials in the load by measuring water usage, balance, weight, and output water condition. A smart fridge can, theoretically, do some lofty things that aren’t nearly as desired as just being a media hub. Streaming videos, reordering groceries on Amazon, displaying recipes, displaying weather, displaying pictures, etc - really mor elike a tablet stuck to the fridge.

      Implementation of said benefits is a different story. They are obviously consumer surveillance devices with sales pitches to make them “the best” faster than the competition.

    • HugeNerd@lemmy.ca
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      18 hours ago

      It’s part of a social model that needs everyone to work, even if said work has negative value.

      We as a species have the resources to create a leisure society for all.

      Instead we are trying to make conscious fridges that can’t freeze things.