Blink home security cams have been one of my top choices for people looking for well-rounded and affordable security devices with long-lasting batteries. The outdoor model in particular is one of my favorites. That's why I was glad to see that, starting today, Blink is rolling out new video descriptions to users.
These AI-powered video descriptions are the latest home security feature to arrive on the subscription-based cameras, including those that use Google's Gemini for Home. They're advanced algorithms that condense video clips into a brief explanation to save you time and hassle when you receive alerts that your camera captured something.
Blink's descriptions, while still in early access, come with one huge advantage. They're available completely for free along with a Blink subscription, which starts at $4 per month. That's already one of the lowest subscription rates for home security cams, and unlike other AI video plans, you don't have to upgrade to a high tier to access the latest options. I can't guarantee that Blink's descriptions will always be a free add-on, but for now it's one of the best deals.
Why are AI descriptions such a big thing in home security?
I found Gemini's daily summaries and descriptive alerts particularly handy -- for a price. Tyler Lacoma/CNET
Everyone is using the "AI" catchphrase right now, but descriptions like these really are AI-powered. They use learning algorithms, LLM-like capabilities that are trained on so many images that they can correctly label specific objects in a picture -- or a video captured by home security cameras. All you have to do is let the algorithm scan the video clips that home security cameras record, which not everyone is comfortable with.
I've been testing these video descriptions ever since they first came out, and they've spread to most of the big home security brands in 2025, including not only Nest but Arlo, Ring, Wyze and more. They're one of my favorite ways to use AI in the home and I haven't come across any privacy fiascos so far.
One of the most annoying parts of home security cam management is deciding if video clips need viewing based on vague motion alerts. Object identification helped with this: Getting an alert that a package was recognized along with a person can be very useful if you want to save time. Full video descriptions take this usefulness and multiply it, adding details about people, vehicles, colors, specific objects and more. It's easy to tell if a home security video needs further attention or if you already have enough info to act on, which leads to time and sanity saved.
Some AI video features go even deeper, like the ability to search video footage for specific objects, or ask the AI questions about what happened. For now, Blink is sticking with the simpler version of the software, which expands notifications with a broader explanation of what's going on.
How do I get these AI video descriptions from Blink?
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