Samsung, LG to roll out AI to make life easier at IFA 2024

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are set to unveil AI for the household and assistant features at the IFA 2024 electronics trade show in Berlin.

Samsung Electronics' outdoor advertisement at the IFA 2024 trade show that will be held in Berlin from Friday to Sept. 10. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Korea’s top two electronic makers, Samsung and LG, will unveil new AI-powered technologies at the IFA 2024 trade show in Berlin, designed to enable AI to comprehend natural language commands and automatically create personalized home environments.

Running from Friday to Sept. 10, this year’s edition of the world's largest electronics and appliance trade show will gather more than 1,800 companies and over 182,000 visitors from 139 countries.

Samsung Electronics, under the theme of "AI for All," will debut two AI technologies that offers customized services by recognizing users’ voices and location.

Voice ID accesses the schedules, interests and health information of the speaker. Based on user knowledge, the AI can offer recommendations or provide tailored services. As the AI recognizes individual voices, it can also eliminate worries about privacy invasion, according to Samsung.

For instance, if a user asks for recommendations for dinner, the AI, already aware of the state of their health, may respond with something like: “Since you’ve been feeling unwell lately, how about some warm dried pollock soup?”

Another personalized service includes the ability to respond to a user casually ordering AI “to finish household chores by 6 p.m.” as they leave for work, by which time they may be greeted back at home with spotless floors and fresh laundry. This is possible as Samsung’s virtual assistant Bixby understands speech commands to control household settings and appliances.

Models try out Samsung's SmartThings' 3-D Map View feature at the IFA 2024 trade show in Berlin, which runs until Sept. 10. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Ambient Sensing, on the other hand, is a location-aware feature that utilizes sensors to activate the screen of appliances close to the user, or in the case of a robot vacuum, move to the user’s location and provide voice alerts.

Both Voice ID and Ambient Sensing is scheduled to be applied to Samsung’s “Bespoke” line of personalized home appliances next year.

Samsung will also establish a zone at the expo dedicated to energy efficient home electronics and related services, targeting energy-conscious European consumers. The lineup includes the Bespoke AI hybrid refrigerator, Bespoke AI washer and AI Energy Mode, all aimed at reducing energy consumption.

LG Electronics, under the theme of “experience, affection intelligence home,” will roll out a generative AI hub known up as LG ThinQ On, which integrates LG’s AI appliances and reduces the burden of household chores as it acclimates to users’ routines, preferences and behaviors over time. The hub vocally briefs on users' calendars and upon command, books taxis or provides estimated travel times for the selected destinations.

Models test LG's AI hub LG ThinQ On that assists users with daily tasks at the IFA 2024 trade show in Berlin, which runs until Sept. 10. [LG ELECTRONICS]

The electronics maker also targets family units with the Self-Driving AI Home Hub, which can control home devices and sensors to adjust home environments to meet the needs of children, such as adjusting the lights based on sleep routines, and supports learning by using AI to create stories from drawings.

For pet care, the LG PuriCare Alpha Pet Double air purifier and Dualcool air conditioner uses sensors to perceive a pet’s movement to automatically adjust the air flow, temperature and humidity.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]