Local LLMs changed how I use Home Assistant, and now my smart devices actually listen

A Home Assistant enthusiast shares how integrating local LLMs transformed their smart home setup. Two AI-powered pipelines are described: a voice assistant pipeline using an old Android phone as a wake-word satellite combined with local speech-to-text and text-to-speech agents, and an MCP server integration using the HA-MCP Server repository connected to LM Studio for managing Home Assistant from LLM-powered clients. Safety considerations include disabling high-level access tools on the MCP server to prevent accidental destructive actions.