Ten years ago, the name Alexa was a mere spec on the baby-naming landscape. Today, more than one-third of Americans are uttering the name (or the names of its voice-controlled cousins) every day to control the technology within their living spaces.
The residential Internet of Things (IoT) market is booming. According to a National Public Radio survey, 53 million Americans 18 and older own smart speakers in 2019. While the technology is still blooming in commercial settings, the built environment is poised for a giant technological growth spurt; however, it may have to leapfrog its own self-imposed roadblocks first.