When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Following in the footsteps of Ring and Google's Nest cameras, Blink subscribers will soon see AI-generated summaries of individual video events. AI is already crafting natural-language summaries of what Amazon's Ring and Google's Nest cameras are seeing, and now the AI-generated descriptions are coming to Blink cameras, too. Slated to begin rolling out today in beta to U.S. users, Blink Video Descriptions will employ AI to analyze the video events captured by Blink security cameras and then generate descriptions of what's happening. The feature, which will work with all existing Blink cameras and doorbells, will start off as a free preview for "select" Blink Basic and Plus subscribers, according to a Blink spokesperson.

You might not have to pay much to bolster your smart home's security. Amazon is selling Blink devices for up to 43 percent off, including a Video Doorbell plus Sync Module for $60 (normally $85) -- that's near an all-time low, You can also get the doorbell by itself for just $40 if you already have sync hardware. Most camera kits are also on sale, starting at $70 (normally $100) for the weather-ready Blink Outdoor. Blink's doorbell is at one of its best prices yet as part of a larger smart home sale. Blink is effectively the budget counterpart to Amazon's Ring brand, but that's not necessarily a bad thing -- you're getting a lot of functionality at a lower price.

Amazon.com Inc paid about $90 million to acquire the maker of Blink home security cameras late last year, in a secret bet on the startup's energy-efficient chips, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The deal's rationale and price tag, previously unreported, underscore how Amazon aims to do more than sell another popular camera, as analysts had thought. The online retailer is exploring chips exclusive to Blink that could lower production costs and lengthen the battery life of other gadgets, starting with Amazon's Cloud Cam and potentially extending to its family of Echo speakers, one of the people said. Amazon views its in-house devices as key to deepening its relationship with shoppers. The Blink security camera (pictured), which hit the market in 2016, did not require a power cable like many rival products, making it easier to place around users' properties.