GoKawiilA lot of fun has rightfully been poked at tech companies rushing to either add AI features to their products without adding any actual value to the owner experience, or to relabel existing features as AI. Robocleaners have been cited as one of many examples.
But the new Roborock Saros 20 demonstrates that, applied thoughtfully, AI can make a genuinely meaningful difference to the its owners. The new machine sits at the top of the company’s lineup at CES 2026, and pet owners especially will want to check it out.
True intelligence
The most basic use of AI in a robot cleaner is to identify objects in order to avoid things like getting tangled up in cables, and to assess the results of its cleaning to judge when additional passes were needed on more stubborn dirt.
But Roborock had a much more ambitious goal with the AI system included in the Saros 20. The company said it wanted the device to be able to make intelligent judgments about not only these things but also more strategic decisions about when it should clean and when it should remain in its dock.
Roborock said its goal was to make Saros 20 a trusted household assistant rather than just a somewhat smarter robot cleaner. The device aims to make accurate assessments in order to make the right decisions in constantly changing home environments.
Its SmartPlan 3.0 feature automatically recognizes room types, learns your cleaning habits, and selects the optimal cleaning strategy for you – boosting suction when needed, rewashing the mop as required, and lowering power to reduce noise during periods when it knows you don’t want to be disturbed.
There’s a built-in voice assistant for Hello Rocky commands, and the cleaner offers support for the Matter standard in order to integrate with Alexa, Siri, and Google Home.
Finally, none of this intelligence infringes on your privacy. The Saros 20 has been certified for privacy and data protection.
Pet-friendly intelligence
... continue reading