The recent developments of telecommunication networks and computer-based equipment allow the test of the Ambient Intelligent (AmI) concepts, developed in working groups of the European Commission. In this paper these ideas are dis-cussed from the perspective of technical activities carried out as an effort to help peo-ple with activity limitations (mainly old people) to live independently and comforta-bly. Three levels of possible implementations are briefly discussed: 1. The present situation, where intelligence is mainly meant as the use of computer-based equipment, able to adapt their behaviour and interfaces to the different us-ers; 2. The developments in progress, where equipment are interconnected under the control of the intelligence in the environment, allowing their cooperation for the implementation of complex functionalities and the communication with other supporting people; 3. Future extension to the entire communication network, where intelligent user agents are able to look for potentially interesting contacts and negotiate to check promising opportunities, before involving users themselves.