LG is certainly no stranger when it comes to robotics and smart appliances, but until now, such products have had limited use. With the company’s latest announcement, this will change. The electronics giant has confirmed that it’s currently investing a lot of resources into robots in the hope of capitalizing on advanced AI, which could eventually be implemented into products that combine hardware with artificial intelligence in order to work with smart home appliances as well as to develop machines that could perform everyday tasks. “We will prepare for the future by aggressively investing in smart home, robots and key components and strengthen the home appliances business’s capabilities,” said Jo Seung-jin, head of LG’s appliances business.
As of now, there’s no time frame for when we’ll see the results of these investments on the shelves, but LG already has plans for products that will work with air conditioners and washing machines, though combining AI with self-driving cars is also something the company is researching. Although such plans aren’t exactly detailed, the investment does hint at a change in the way LG is treating robotics. Up until now, the company has only experimented with products of limited use, but the new change in focus hints at robotics becoming one of LG’s main focus points, meaning that, for consumers, having a robot in their homes could become the norm. Currently, LG has not confirmed the amount of money it plans to invest in robotics.
LG’s announcement comes just a couple of months after the company announced its plans to develop automated guide robots which will use deep learning technology. The company has also announced a partnership with Volkswagen which will see the two companies co-develop a platform that will allow drivers to control their smart home services from inside vehicles. All across the world, countries are investing heavily in robotics, be it to create a new industry or to cope with socio-economic problems such as an ageing population or low birth rates by introducing machines that can perform everyday human tasks, so it remains to be seen if LG can capitalize on this new interest in the field and become one of the pioneers in the industry.