Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving fast. In just a few years, generative AI and intelligent algorithms have become tools in the lighting industry, shaping design and decision-making at every level. From consumer apps to professional lighting platforms and internal design processes, AI is transforming how we work.
Manufacturers are now integrating AI into products to enhance user experience, improve efficiency and unlock functionality. AI-powered lighting systems can analyse data to adjust lighting based on occupancy, natural light levels and user preferences, resulting in significant energy savings. This provides smart lighting solutions that can adapt to individual needs, revolutionising how we illuminate our spaces.
For consumers, AI is already shaping lighting experiences in visible ways. For example, the Philips Hue systems now integrate with AI voice assistants and scene-generation tools, letting users create personalised atmospheres with a single prompt such as ‘cosy evening’ or ‘focus mode’.
Signify MyCreation, a 3D-printed lighting service, uses AI to suggest personalised fixture designs based on inputs such as room type or mood preference.
For professional use, AI is accelerating, but not replacing, design expertise, and is used in tools that help designers, engineers and facility managers. For instance, we use an AI-powered chatbot in the Interact Pro app that assists users with technical support and information.
While the multilingual chatbot is not a replacement for professional advice, the information provided is intended for general guidance and troubleshooting. It can respond quickly to general and network-level queries.
To make buildings intelligent
The future of commercial lighting is not just about lights – it’s about creating a fully integrated, smart environment. AI allows lighting systems to seamlessly integrate with other building management systems, such as HVAC and security.
This integration enables businesses to create a more energy-efficient and automated environment, where lighting, temperature and security work together harmoniously. We have developed Signify Interact, a platform that brings together connected lighting systems and the data that those systems collect with intelligent buildings.
Behind the scenes
AI is also changing how our in-house design and development team’s work.
- Product development: AI tools help analyse market trends, describe customer needs, and even generate early-stage concept ideas and create photorealistic visualisations of luminaires in context.
- Accessible knowledge: knowledge databases within the company can now be accessed in an easier way using AI tools to interact with large amounts of information. This reduces manual searching, but requires careful validation.
- Design process tools: lighting calculations, daylight simulations and energy modelling are increasingly AI-assisted, speeding up iteration cycles.
These tools are boosting productivity and decision-making speed – but they also change ways of working. Less of our time is spent on the repetitive tasks that AI can pick up, meaning more time can be dedicated to critical evaluation and creative direction.
The possibilities of AI are endless. As the pace of innovation from companies continues, the future of lighting looks brighter and more intelligent than ever before.
However, this doesn’t mean that the value of human intelligence is diminishing or can be replaced. We still need to guide and feed the tools, and drive them to generate results that can have a positive impact on the industry.
Deep understanding, human feeling and intuition, imagining, critical thinking, and the ability to make a good judgement and take the right decision remain human skills.
The opportunity is now and, together with AI, we can ensure that the lighting industry has a brilliant future.