SwitchBot AI Hub offers local AI power for fast and complex smart home automation

The SwitchBot AI Hub comes with local AI features but also a paid subscription (Image source: SwitchBot)

SwitchBot is now offering a new smart home hub that is intended to provide many useful features and utilizes local AI instead of a cloud-powered system. This might be beneficial from a privacy standpoint and opens up new possibilities for advanced users.

Silvio Werner (translated by Enrico Frahn), Published 01/19/2026 🇩🇪

AI Launch Smart Home

SwitchBot has added a new product to its lineup, namely the so-called AI Hub. It can be ordered for $259 thanks to a 20% discount. This AI Hub is supposed to add intelligent features to a smart home and comes with a VLM, which stands for Vision Language Model. Subscription fees apply after a one-month trial period. As a result, the local AI processing does not really provide a lasting advantage since it doesn’t eliminate the rather unpopular subscription fees.

According to SwitchBot, various AI features are on board, including face, pet and object recognition for live camera feeds. Local VLM automations are also supported and make it possible to control an actuator depending on a recognized object. As an example, SwitchBot mentions turning on a light when a person is lying on the couch. Various behaviors can be recognized and trigger intelligent routines. The smart home hub is advertised with an AI performance of 6 TOPS.

Compared with NPUs that are integrated into current AMD and Intel chipsets, this number appears relatively low. Anyhow, local API access is available, as is compatibility with Home Assistant, Matter over Bridge and MQTT. Up to eight 2K cameras can be used simultaneously, videos can be stored on microSD cards or external hard drives.

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Editor of the original article: Silvio Werner - Senior Tech Writer - 16374 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2017

I have been active as a journalist for over 10 years, most of it in the field of technology. I worked for Tom’s Hardware and ComputerBase, among others, and have been working for Notebookcheck since 2017. My current focus is particularly on mini PCs and single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi – so in other words, compact systems with a lot of potential. In addition, I have a soft spot for all kinds of wearables, especially smartwatches. My main profession is as a laboratory engineer, which is why neither scientific contexts nor the interpretation of complex measurements are foreign to me.

contact me via: silvio39191, LinkedIn

Translator: Enrico Frahn - Managing Editor Accessory Reviews, Tech Writer - 6144 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021

My fascination for technology goes back a long way to the Pentium II era. Modding, overclocking and treasuring computer hardware has since become an integral part of my life. As a student, I further developed a keen interest in mobile technologies that can make the stressful college life so much easier. After I fell in love with the creation of digital content while working in a marketing position, I now scour the web to bring you the most exciting topics in the world of tech. Outside the office, I’m particularly passionate about motorsports and mountain biking.

contact me via: LinkedIn

> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2026 01 > SwitchBot AI Hub offers local AI power for fast and complex smart home automation

Silvio Werner, 2026-01-19 (Update: 2026-01-19)

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