Smart home brand Wyze is expanding access to its new AI-Fueled Video Search tool on mobile. As the name suggests, it gives people a way to look up security footage via text search. This feature has actually been around since late May as part of a beta program. Despite being around for several months, Video Search still isn’t seeing an official release, with the company clarifying that this is just a “Pilot Launch.”
According to Wyze, the inquiries you enter into the search engine can either be as specific or vague as you want. You can enter “dogs in backyard” and the app will bring up every instance of your pets in the backyard. Conversely, you can just type in the word “truck” and the feed will show a bunch of recordings with trucks in them — or vehicles that closely fit the description. The examples shown in the software page display a large van.
The company admits its Wyze Vision Language Model isn’t perfect. You might occasionally receive “wonky results.” The brand is asking people who encounter any mistakes to give feedback so it can improve Video Search.
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Before trying out the feature, you’ll need a couple of things. Obviously, you must own a Wyze security camera — it doesn’t matter which one; it could be their recently released Cam 4 or one of the doorbell models. Second, users need to have a subscription to Wyze’s Cam Unlimited service ($9.99 a month).
Once you have everything, go to the Video Search product page and click the “Request Access” button. Follow the directions when they appear, and you’re all set. The tool will sit at the top of the app, indicated by a magnifying glass icon.
It’s important to mention that all Cam Unlimited users can try out the tool. Unlike the beta program, Video Search isn’t exclusive to a select few. You can also head over to the Wyze Web Portal to get a better view of your footage. We should point out that there’s no guarantee the tool will even roll out officially.
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Wyze could decide to cancel Video Search anytime or even offer it in a completely different form. Android Police, in its report, said it encountered a footnote “for the feature, stating ‘AI Video Search is an experimental feature that may not be included in Cam Unlimited in the future.'”
In fact, it’ll most likely be offered through the upcoming Cam Unlimited Pro tier. A placeholder page on Wyze’s website indicates AI Video Search is coming to the new plan but not to the base Cam Unlimited subscription. It’s unknown how much the Pro plan will cost, although it’ll likely be more expensive.