Join the Citizen-Centric AI Systems (CCAIS) team, part of the Agents, Interaction and Complexity (AIC) research group in the Department of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton, exploring how AI can understand human intent while keeping personal data private in home automation.

Have you ever been frustrated by smart home assistants that don't understand what you mean, or are you worried that they send your private data to cloud services?

At this interactive exhibit, you can speak naturally to an AI home assistant using everyday phrases such as "make it comfortable" or "I want to relax." You will see how the system listens, understands what you mean, and turns your words into actions like adjusting lights or temperature. When you correct the system - for example by saying "no, warmer" - you can watch how it adapts and learns your personal preferences over time.

You will learn how modern AI can work reliably without relying on cloud services, keeping personal data local and under your control. The activity helps you understand how AI systems interpret vague human requests, why learning user preferences matters, and how design choices affect privacy, trust, and reliability in everyday technology.

This hands-on experience is suitable for all ages and invites you to reflect on how AI can support daily life in a way that is intuitive, personal, and responsible. It is based on research we are carrying out as part of the Citizen-Centric AI for Resilient IoT Systems (CAIR) project at the University of Southampton.