Amazon And Lennar Team Up To Build Homes Filled With Alexa-Powered Smart Devices

Lennar, the largest homebuilder in the country, is partnering with the world’s largest online retailer, Amazon, to design homes filled with smart devices and Alexa as the digital assistant. Before someone even moves into one of the new Wi-Fi-ready dwellings, Alexa-controlled features like locks, doorbells, thermostats, and lights will already be installed.

Per a USA Today report, two Alexa-driven speakers, an Echo Show, and an Echo Dot will also be included in the home’s amenities. An Amazon Fire TV will be found in the living room and buttons to quickly order items from Amazon will also be strategically placed throughout the house.

Just as the new homeowner is moving stuff in, an Amazon technology expert will show up and make sure all the smart devices are working properly. The technician will even provide training on how to use the technology and add any additional wireless devices upon request.

“This will be the hallmark of why we buy a new home,” said David Kaiserman, president of Lennar Ventures. “It’s an important step in the mass adoption of all these technologies.”

To get a feel for one of the homes before buying, a prospective homebuyer will be able to visit an “Amazon Experience Center” for an in-depth tour and demonstration of how the technology will make life easier. One 3,600-square-foot center is already open in Vallejo, California, and others are planned in select cities throughout the U.S., including Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

“We want them to be able to walk into one of these model homes and see how it all works in a real house, so they can see how much it would simplify their lives,” said Nish Lathia, general manager for Amazon Services, as cited by the USA Today report. “It’s super addictive.”

According to CNN, Lennar builds around 30,000 homes every year and has an “everything included” pricing model, meaning what you see is what you get for one negotiated price. For future smart homes, Lennar will automatically integrate smart devices powered by Alexa, but customers will still have the choice to turn the Amazon assistant on or off.

The new Alexa-controlled homes may give Amazon the needed edge to beat other AI technology competitors Google and Apple. With a complete house virtually a slave to Alexa’s power, the new owner will probably end up being an Amazon customer for life.