Skip to main content

SimpliSafe is now using AI to prevent burglars from entering your home

A SimpliSafe outdoor camera monitoring a stranger.
SimpliSafe

SimpliSafe rolled out the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera in 2023, which coupled AI technology with live monitoring to better protect the inside of your home. The company is now looking to expand those features to outdoor cameras, with Live Guard Outdoor Protection rolling out to early access users before seeing a full-scale launch later this year.

Live Guard Outdoor Protection works much like the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera does, though it’s been modified to work outside. When your system is armed, cameras equipped with Live Guard Outdoor Protection will use AI to identify threats on your property. If AI finds something suspicious, the event will be escalated to SimpliSafe’s professional monitoring team, who can then intervene via two-way audio to let the intruder know they’re being filmed. They can also trigger a siren or request police dispatch.

Recommended Videos

If you’re interested in checking out the new feature, you’ll need to be an existing SimpliSafe customer and enroll in SimpliSafe’s Early Access Program. The company plans to roll the feature out to all users later this year, though a specific launch date is yet to be announced.

Note that select locations in Illinois, Texas, and Oregon may have laws prohibiting some features of Live Guard Outdoor Protection.

The goal of this new technology is to prevent crimes before they happen. While a similar service is available on the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera, by the time it’s able to detect an intruder, they’ve already entered your home. Once the service launches on outdoor cameras, SimpliSafe will be able to keep better tabs on your property and prevent strangers from lingering around your yard.

Interested parties can sign up for SimpliSafe email alerts to learn more about the upcoming service.

Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
This 4-in-1 washing machine combo from Eureka cleans almost everything in your home
The Eureka Wash Bot installed in a laundry room.

Eureka isn’t a household name like Roborock or iRobot, but that didn’t stop the smart home company from showing off one of the most unique products of CES 2024. The Eureka Dual Washing Bot is an upcoming washing machine that doubles as a dryer, features a built-in robot vacuum and mop, and boasts a sleek design that rivals the best washers available today.

In other words, this 4-in-1 washing machine can clean and dry your clothes while simultaneously vacuuming and mopping your floors. That makes it one of the most versatile smart home gadgets on display in Las Vegas.

Read more
Do smart home security cameras record all the time?
A hand adjusts a Ring Indoor Security Camera mounted on a wall.

There's an abundance of smart home security cameras available today, featuring everything from tiny indoor cameras to large outdoor floodlights. Products from Ring, Arlo, Wyze, and other major brands do a great job of protecting your property and giving you peace of mind -- but do security cameras record all the time?

The answer's not as straightforward as you'd expect. Here's a look at which types of products are likely to offer continuous video capture, and which only record when motion is detected.
Battery-powered units typically don't record all the time

Read more
Google Home adds support for Nest Cam Indoor
A cartoon depiction of the Google Home app and Nest Cam Indoor.

Google Home is continuing to expand its roster, with Google today adding support for the Nest Cam Indoor (1st Gen). This allows you to manage all aspects of your camera, such as checking your notification history and accessing your camera feed.

There’s a bit of a catch, as support for Nest Cam Indoor is only available in Public Preview. To join Public Preview and gain early access to the feature, you’ll need to dive into the Settings on your Home app and select Join Public Preview. You’ll then get a prompt to update Public Preview -- accept this invitation, and you’ll see another prompt letting you know when you’re eligible to transfer your camera to Google Home.

Read more