@Erioldoesdesign, the layout looks nice and I think the upgrades to the UI overall across HA have been a vast improvement. But, I'm really curious how much the design team(s) talk about the elephant in the room, namely AI?
In short, I wonder if these UI updates are going to be quickly outdated. AI is really close now and only going to get better at writing configurations (automations, scripts, etc.) for HA. I suspect the drop in traffic here on this forum is due to AI already.
Just to give an example, I just now entered this into Claude AI:
Create an ESPHome configuration for a ESP32S3 that has 1) a DS18B20 temp sensor, 2) a BH1750 light sensor, and 3) a relay that when a button is pressed in Home Assistant will turn on for 500ms. Use an API key of "my-secret-api-key" and enable the ESPhome web server.
I understand the focus has been on beginner users, but what could be easier for a beginner than just describing the parts they have and what they want to build using a prompt like above?
Perhaps the UI changes should be a series of questions asking the user what they want to build and what components they have to help formulate a prompt like that?
I didn't flash this as this is just a quick example, but that prompt generated this, which I doubt the current UI could generate.
ESPHome YAML generated by Claude
esphome:
name: esp32s3-sensors
friendly_name: ESP32-S3 Sensor Node
esp32:
board: esp32-s3-devkitc-1
framework:
type: arduino
# Enable logging
logger:
# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
encryption:
key: "my-secret-api-key"
# Enable OTA updates
ota:
- platform: esphome
password: "my-secret-api-key"
# WiFi configuration β fill in your credentials
wifi:
ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
password: !secret wifi_password
ap:
ssid: "ESP32S3 Fallback Hotspot"
password: "fallback-password"
captive_portal:
# ESPHome web server
web_server:
port: 80
# βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
# 1. DS18B20 β 1-Wire Temperature Sensor
# Wiring: DATA pin β GPIO4 (with 4.7kΞ© pull-up to 3.3 V)
# βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
dallas_ng:
- pin: GPIO4 # Change to your actual DATA pin
update_interval: 30s
sensor:
- platform: dallas_temp
name: "Temperature"
unit_of_measurement: "Β°C"
accuracy_decimals: 1
device_class: temperature
state_class: measurement
# βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
# 2. BH1750 β IΒ²C Light Sensor
# Wiring: SDA β GPIO8, SCL β GPIO9 (ESP32-S3 defaults)
# βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
i2c:
sda: GPIO8 # Change to your actual SDA pin
scl: GPIO9 # Change to your actual SCL pin
scan: true
# (BH1750 sensor block lives under the top-level sensor: key below)
# Merge all sensor entries under one key
# ESPHome allows multiple sensor: blocks; they are combined at compile time.
sensor:
- platform: bh1750
name: "Illuminance"
address: 0x23 # Default address; use 0x5C if ADDR pin is HIGH
update_interval: 30s
unit_of_measurement: "lx"
accuracy_decimals: 1
device_class: illuminance
state_class: measurement
# βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
# 3. Relay β momentary 500 ms pulse
# Triggered by a button press in Home Assistant
# Wiring: Relay IN β GPIO10
# βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
switch:
- platform: gpio
name: "Relay"
pin:
number: GPIO10 # Change to your actual relay pin
mode:
output: true
restore_mode: ALWAYS_OFF
# The automation below fires whenever Home Assistant calls
# the switch's turn_on service, pulses for 500 ms, then turns off.
on_turn_on:
- delay: 500ms
- switch.turn_off: relay_switch
id: relay_switch
AI has a lot of issues, but it's really good at building out a starting config which you can build on -- and the more involved or complex the task the less the UI can help.
on-staff designer for ESPHome (and other OHF products here)
Again, I like all the UI updates.
Let me know if I can help.