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AI and Home Assistant working together with deterministic control, sensors, context and smart home guardrails

What Should an AI Agent Actually Do in Your Smart Home?

Posted on Tue October 13, 2026Fri October 9, 2026 by Jim Collison

Should AI agents control your smart home? My experience with Jimbot, Home Assistant and Storm Guard shows where AI can observe, explain and recommend—and where rules should stay in control.

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AI, Automation, Smart Home
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Ask the Podcast Coach After Further Review podcast replay monitor

Ask the Podcast Coach: After Further Review | Answers, Experiments and Branding

Posted on Sun October 11, 2026Sun October 11, 2026 by Jim Collison

I revisit three things I said on Ask the Podcast Coach 596: answering questions first, experimenting with YouTube Shorts, and proving that branding is more than views.

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Ask the Podcast Coach, Podcasting
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AI model routes flowing through trust checks and permission boundaries before reaching protected operational systems

Why Do AI Agents Use So Many Tokens? How to Control Automation Costs

Posted on Sun October 11, 2026Fri October 9, 2026 by Jim Collison

Are AI agents burning tokens on routine checks? Here’s what Jimbot taught me about automation costs, deterministic scripts, local models and when an LLM is actually worth using.

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AI, Automation, Home Lab
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A home-lab workstation showing two AI operations workflows connected by a central feedback loop for recommendations, review, actions and outcomes.

OpenClaw vs. Hermes: How to Choose an AI Agent for Your Home Lab

Posted on Sat October 10, 2026Fri October 9, 2026 by Jim Collison

Trying to choose between OpenClaw and Hermes for your home lab? Start with the work, permissions and maintenance you need—not a winner-takes-all feature list.

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AI, Automation, Home Lab
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Ask the Podcast Coach After Further Review podcast replay monitor

Ask the Podcast Coach: After Further Review | What the Metrics Are Really Telling Me

Posted on Mon October 5, 2026 by Jim Collison

I revisit three things I said on Ask the Podcast Coach about vanity metrics, creator growth and finding a sustainable rhythm for Shorts and social promotion.

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Ask the Podcast Coach, Podcasting
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AI and Home Assistant working together with deterministic control, sensors, context and smart home guardrails

AI and Home Assistant: What Should AI Control—and What Should Stay Deterministic?

Posted on Sun October 4, 2026Sun October 4, 2026 by Jim Collison

AI can make Home Assistant easier to use, but not every decision should be probabilistic. Here’s where AI helps—and where deterministic automations should stay in control.

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Home Tech, Smart Home
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Most Recent Podcast

Recent Posts

  • What Should an AI Agent Actually Do in Your Smart Home? Tue October 13, 2026
  • Ask the Podcast Coach: After Further Review | Answers, Experiments and Branding Sun October 11, 2026
  • Why Do AI Agents Use So Many Tokens? How to Control Automation Costs Sun October 11, 2026
  • OpenClaw vs. Hermes: How to Choose an AI Agent for Your Home Lab Sat October 10, 2026
  • Ask the Podcast Coach: After Further Review | What the Metrics Are Really Telling Me Mon October 5, 2026
  • AI and Home Assistant: What Should AI Control—and What Should Stay Deterministic? Sun October 4, 2026
  • Home Assistant Automations: How to Build a Smart Home That Actually Automates Sun October 4, 2026
  • Home Assistant Sensors: What Should Your Smart Home Actually Measure? Sun October 4, 2026
  • Ask the Podcast Coach: After Further Review | Experiments, Analytics and Playing to Your Strengths Sat October 3, 2026
  • Home Assistant AI Automation, Tesla FSD and Energy Monitoring with Phil Hawthorne – HGG691 Sat October 3, 2026

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Podcast Reviews

  • I love the insights about this show
    October 5, 2022 by hdhkogr from Mexico

    I love how they go in detail in every episode of the show, didn't know I would enjoy home gadget info so much.

  • Great show
    August 4, 2013 by kwpheasey from United States

    One of the best shows for the home pc enthusiast. I've been listening to it each week for over two years and I'd highly recommend it. Jim and team are very professional and the show is very informative.

  • What would we do without you?
    August 15, 2012 by Hyper-VG from Canada

    This is one podcast you dont want to miss. They may talk alot of tech but they make it so anyone can understand it. Dont get lost in the tech jungle list to what they say and do your research. Subscribe and be treated to a ton of knowlage.

  • Great tech show
    August 14, 2012 by erik_the_tall from United States

    Jim is a nut! A tech nut! Great show for folks looking to scratch their tech itch.

  • Awesome show!
    August 12, 2012 by misslissa808 from United States

    so sorry, seems i left a review under my husband's name of pytheas2.0! LOL! well, now he is subscribed :) but thanks for hosting a great show with a variety of information! I'm a photographer and no where near knowing about techy stuff, so maybe i'll learn a thing or two and impress my husband ;)

  • Thanks for this great podcast !
    July 31, 2012 by Mike Heatherly from Australia

    Just wanted to let you guys know that this is a good podcast to subsribe to, to get the latest news on the tech scene :) Networking, Phones, Servers. All you need. And they do host giveaways of exciting products every now and then :)

  • Excellent Podcast!!
    July 31, 2012 by Rocky53382456 from United States

    Easily a winner when it comes to knowing their stuff!! These guys always seem to know what I am thinking, and just put the info out there! Keep up the great work, Hands down, the friendliest bunch around!

  • Take it from me
    July 30, 2012 by RichinFL from United States

    If you have a connected home, you owe it to yourself to listen to this podcast. The tips, tricks and news save me tons of time from browsing a ton of websites constantly.

  • Great!
    July 25, 2012 by Kaylley Williams from United States

    Pretty Tech savvy. Thanks!

  • Great Info
    July 25, 2012 by Katja Wright Photography from United States

    Very informative and also entertaining - keep up the good work!

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