Industry News

From keys to fingerprints, from PIN codes to facial recognition—every evolution of the smart lock has changed the way we think about opening a door. Today, AI is taking this evolution one step further, moving smart locks from passive execution to proactive intelligence.

Beyond Feature Stacking: AI Smart Locks Enter an Era of “Cognitive Intelligence”

Over the past few years, competition in the smart lock industry has largely focused on higher camera resolution, larger displays and an expanding range of unlocking methods. Simply adding more features, however, is becoming less effective as a way to differentiate products.

In 2026, the industry is undergoing a deeper transformation. According to the 2026 White Paper on Six Major Trends in China's Smart Door Lock Industry, AI-powered smart locks are evolving from “functional intelligence” toward “cognitive intelligence.”

The role of the product is also expanding—from a simple unlocking tool to an entry point for home security and an intelligent interaction terminal.

The concept behind AI smart locks is to move door security from a passive model toward proactive protection, allowing AI to assist users by perceiving, analyzing and responding to situations.

In other words, the door lock is no longer simply waiting for a command. It is increasingly capable of understanding its surroundings and responding to specific situations.

Technological Breakthroughs: From “A Lock” to an Intelligent Home Guardian

In 2026, technological competition in the AI smart lock sector is moving beyond feature accumulation toward the deeper application of AI foundation models, multimodal biometric recognition and edge-cloud collaboration.

Multimodal Biometrics Expand Smart Lock Capabilities

At the biometric level, technologies such as 3D facial recognition and palm-vein recognition are emerging as important features in high-end smart locks.

Palm-vein recognition offers inherent advantages including liveness detection, resistance to replication and less dependence on surface skin conditions. These characteristics can help address issues such as worn fingerprints among older users and less pronounced fingerprints among children.

AI-powered fingerprint recognition technologies are also being developed to address recognition challenges associated with changes in fingerprint characteristics, including wear and seasonal variations, through more advanced algorithms.

AI Makes Smart Locks More “Aware” of Users

At the interaction level, AI smart locks are becoming increasingly capable of understanding users and their surroundings.

Upgraded AI-powered systems combine perception, decision-making and interaction, enabling functions such as analyzing behavior outside the door and intelligently categorizing visitors.

Through machine-learning algorithms, smart locks can continuously learn from user behavior patterns. For example, a system may send a reassurance notification when a family member arrives home late or issue an alert when unusual activity or prolonged presence is detected outside the door.

These capabilities are designed to distinguish between family members, visitors and potential security risks, creating a more personalized approach to home protection.

AI Is Also Changing the Hardware Experience

At the hardware level, AI-based adaptive torque technology is being developed to balance the need for sufficient unlocking torque with quieter operation.

Meanwhile, AI-enabled smart locks with interactive displays have become a rapidly growing segment. According to the article, sales of these products increased by 400% year on year during the first half of 2026.

Market Data: AI Smart Locks Are Emerging as a New Growth Driver

Market data further highlights the momentum behind AI smart locks.

In 2025, AI smart locks accounted for 11.2% of unit sales and 24.7% of sales value in China's traditional e-commerce retail market, indicating their relatively high-value positioning.

According to All View Cloud (AVC), the retail penetration rate of AI smart locks in China's traditional e-commerce market is expected to reach 26% in 2026 and exceed 50% by 2028.

In the price segment above RMB 2,000, the penetration of AI-enabled door locks has reportedly increased more rapidly than that of other segments.

This suggests that consumers' budgets for smart door locks have not necessarily declined. Instead, their willingness to pay is increasingly shifting from basic hardware specifications toward intelligent experiences and advanced functionality.

As industry observers have noted, the traditional path of relying on generic designs, OEM labeling and price-driven volume growth is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. The next stage of competition may center more on long-term user engagement and product stickiness.

Wenzhou Sets a New Course: From “China's Lock Capital” to an AI Smart Lock Manufacturing Hub

Amid the rapid development of AI smart locks, Wenzhou is playing an increasingly important role.

As an established industrial cluster carrying national-level industry titles including “China's Lock Capital” and “China Smart Lock Industry Base,” Wenzhou is home to more than 400 smart lock-related companies.

In 2024, the industrial output value of above-designated-size enterprises in the sector reached RMB 3.41 billion. Wenzhou's production of mechanical locks, smart locks and handles reportedly accounts for approximately 40%, 25% and 70% of China's respective national output.

Wenzhou's strength lies not only in its established manufacturing base but also in its efforts to embrace the emerging AI smart lock segment.

From January to June 2025, above-designated-size smart lock enterprises in the region recorded an output value of RMB 1.76 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 13.5%.

Ouhai District has introduced smart lock industry development initiatives for four consecutive years, implemented an industry-chain leadership mechanism, and launched a set of dedicated support measures for the smart lock industry.

On the innovation side, platforms such as the Wenzhou University Institute of Smart Lock Technology continue to provide technical support for the industry's development.

Wenzhou Hardware & Lock Fair: A Showcase—and a Testing Ground—for AI Smart Locks

The 2026 China (Wenzhou) Hardware & Intelligent Lock Fair was held at the Wenzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center, with AI smart locks emerging as one of the major highlights of the event.

From palm-vein recognition and 3D facial recognition to connected home solutions, AI is reshaping the capabilities of smart locks.

Leading brands including Kaadas and VOC showcased new smart lock products incorporating AI-based algorithms, with advanced functions such as human detection, behavior analysis and abnormal-activity alerts.

The 5th Smart Lock Full Industry Chain Forum & AI Smart Lock Leading Brands Awards Ceremony, held concurrently with the exhibition, also provided a professional platform for technological exchange and industry recognition.

From selling hardware to building ecosystems, the Wenzhou Hardware & Lock Fair is witnessing the Chinese smart lock industry's transition from manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing.

The Future Is Here: The Next Decade of Door Locks

In the past, a smart lock was primarily a tool for opening a door.

Today, it can increasingly perceive what is happening outside the door, identify who is approaching and assess potential risks.

In the future, it may become an integral part of the connected home, proactively providing services based on users' needs and surroundings.

The reported 400% year-on-year growth is more than a short-term market phenomenon. It also reflects the transformation of the entrance to the home—from a conventional hardware fixture into an increasingly intelligent terminal.

The era of AI-powered smart locks is taking shape—from the exhibition booths of the Wenzhou Hardware & Lock Fair to the doorsteps of homes around the world.

Source

Data sources: All View Cloud (AVC), Luotu Technology (RUNTO), third-party research institutions and publicly available reports.