1 day Ago By Korea Bizwire
Ryu Jae-cheol, Head of LG Electronics’ Home Solutions Division, introduces the AI home hub ‘ThinQ On’(Image provided by LG Electronics) SEOUL, March 31 (Korea Bizwire) — LG Electronics has officially entered the AI-powered smart home era with the release of its new AI home hub device, ThinQ On , designed to seamlessly connect and control home appliances and IoT devices through natural, conversational interaction. According to industry sources, LG began supplying ThinQ On this month to business-to-business (B2B) customers, marking the device’s market debut. A consumer rollout via LG’s online store and retail channels is planned for the first half of 2025.
Originally unveiled at IFA 2024 in Berlin last September, ThinQ On leverages generative AI to interpret complex voice commands in context. For example, a user might say, “It feels a bit warm inside, could you adjust the temperature?”—and the device would lower the air conditioning without needing a direct command like “Turn down the AC.” The device acts not only as a control hub but also as a personalized assistant capable of understanding user intent and environmental context.
LG plans to pair ThinQ On with its ThinQ app , which now includes a new feature called ThinQ Play . This portal will recommend compatible apps—ranging from smart home platforms to music streaming and daily routine management—that users can install directly onto the device. LG also plans to integrate its recently acquired smart home platform @home into the ThinQ ecosystem.
Notably, even non-AI appliances can benefit: when connected to ThinQ On and paired with additional IoT sensors, traditional devices like washers and air conditioners can function as if they were AI-powered. In parallel, LG is intensifying its AI home strategy through development of a mobile AI home hub , codenamed Project Q9 , which utilizes Microsoft software including Azure OpenAI and Bing Search . LG Electronics’ mobile AI home hub ‘AI Agent’ (Project name: Q9) (Photo courtesy of LG Electronics) After a recent meeting with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, LG CEO Cho Joo-wan shared on social media: “Today we introduced the LG Q9 powered by Azure OpenAI and Bing Search.
This partnership brings us closer to realizing a ‘Zero Labor Home’ through AI.” Beyond the central hub, LG continues to enhance AI capabilities across individual appliances such as washing machines and air conditioners, aiming to create a cohesive and intuitive AI home environment. “AI Home is evolving into an empathetic space that understands users first and delivers smarter solutions,” an LG spokesperson said, calling ThinQ On the foundation of a new customer experience.
Kevin Lee ([email protected]).
