# Philips Hue adds plain-English smart lighting automations

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/now-you-can-tell-the-hue-app-how-you-want-your-smart-lights-to-work/
- Published: 2026-09-03T07:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-03T08:19:22+00:00
- Original publisher: The Verge
- Original article: https://www.theverge.com/tech/988953/philips-hue-smart-lighting-custom-ai-behaviors-sonos-integration
- Topics: AI, Art, Culture, Software, Technology

## Key points

- Hue app can now build automations from plain English descriptions
- Feature launches next month, exclusive to the Bridge Pro
- New Sonos speaker control via Hue switches arrives in November

## Summary

Philips Hue has added a natural-language automation feature to its app called Custom AI Behaviors, letting users describe in plain English how they want their smart lights to behave rather than building automations through the app's limited menu system. Announced at IFA, the feature marks a significant expansion of what's possible in the Hue app, as advanced users previously had to rely on third-party tools to create complex, condition-based lighting routines. Alongside it, Hue also unveiled a new Sonos integration, letting select Hue switches control Sonos speakers.

Custom AI Behaviors lets users type instructions, such as switching lights to a nightlight setting when asleep and reverting to normal colour temperature when awake, and the system uses inputs like button presses to work out the rest. It can also reprogram physical switches, such as setting a dimmer button to disable a motion sensor. The feature, currently in beta, rolls out next month, works only on Hue's Bridge Pro, and runs on the open-weight GLM model family; the Sonos integration arrives via a software update in November, and a "Back-up & Restore" feature for bridge settings is planned for early next year.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.