A child interacts with a robot designed for electronic companion during the World Smart Industry Expo 2025 in Chongqing on Sept 6. [Photo/China News Service]

In the morning, the microwave oven recognizes what's inside, recommends a recipe and fine-tunes the cooking time automatically. Step outside, directions are no longer confined to a phone screen — they appear seamlessly in your field of view through AI glasses.

While commuting, a simple voice command lets an AI assistant compare options and place an order. By the time you get home, an AI companion toy can sense your mood and, through ongoing interaction, develop a personality uniquely its own.

These seemingly ordinary moments are quietly but consequentially reshaping everyday life for a growing number of people.

Artificial intelligence is moving from screen-based interaction and becoming a constant presence in daily life — sensing context, anticipating needs and acting on its own — woven into smartphones, wearables, home appliances and a widening range of real-world settings.

Consumers are increasingly witnessing the shift firsthand. Sandy Xu Ran, chief executive officer of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, said 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for AI consumption, as AI-related searches on the platform have surged nearly 100-fold.

"We have surveyed consumer interest in AI-enabled products and found that nearly half of respondents said AI capabilities are now a must-have feature," Xu said recently at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. "Artificial intelligence has effectively become a baseline requirement for many products."

The trend is also being echoed by industry experts.

Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, said the fast-growing presence of AI in consumer electronics is a natural result of maturing technologies, rising demand and deeper industry collaboration, signaling that smart living is moving beyond concept and into mainstream use.

"Consumers' rising expectations for greater convenience, more personalized experiences and smarter living are accelerating the real-world adoption of the latest AI-enabled technologies in everyday life," he added.

Real-world adoption is increasingly visible in home settings. Drawing on user behavior data, smart home ecosystems are turning traditional household appliances into intelligent systems that sense habits, learn preferences and quietly adjust the lights, temperature and routines — slipping naturally into the rhythm of daily life.