Ring introduces AI-powered motion descriptions for its cameras and doorbells

Amazon-owned Ring has unveiled a new artificial intelligence feature that aims to make its doorbells and security cameras significantly smarter. The update, announced Wednesday, enables devices to provide users with highly specific, real-time text descriptions of motion activity occurring on their property.

Instead of vague alerts like “Motion Detected,” Ring devices will now notify users with detailed summaries such as “A person is walking up the steps with a black dog” or “Two individuals are looking into a white car parked in the driveway.” The descriptions are based on the first few seconds of the motion-activated video and are designed to help users quickly determine whether a situation warrants immediate attention.

The AI-powered feature is now available in beta for Ring Home Premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. It is currently being rolled out in English only, with users given the option to disable the functionality through the Ring app settings.

In a blog post, Ring founder and Amazon Vice President of Home Security Jamie Siminoff called the innovation a step toward a more intelligent and intuitive security system. “We are just starting to scratch the surface of AI,” Siminoff wrote. “I feel like we are back to the very early days of Ring again. I see unlimited potential for new experiences we can invent for our neighbors.”

Siminoff also outlined future plans for additional AI features. One upcoming update will consolidate multiple motion events from different Ring devices into a single alert, reducing notification clutter. Another, dubbed “custom anomaly alert,” will let users define what they consider unusual for their property, allowing the system to notify them when such anomalies occur.

Perhaps the most ambitious upcoming feature is Ring’s ability to “learn your routine” in order to detect and report deviations. While potentially useful, such functionality may raise eyebrows, particularly in light of past controversies involving Ring’s handling of user data and privacy concerns.

This latest announcement follows the recent introduction of Ring’s AI-powered video search tool, which helps users quickly find specific moments in stored recordings by searching for described events or objects.

With these updates, Ring appears to be doubling down on AI-driven functionality in an effort to provide smarter, more actionable security for homeowners – though the balance between convenience and privacy remains a critical discussion.