Samsung integrates Bixby into home appliances
Kim Hyun-suk, head of Samsung Electronics' consumer electronics division, speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
By Baek Byung-yeul
Amid the proliferation of the internet of things (IoT), Samsung Electronics said Thursday it will integrate its artificial intelligence (AI) voice assistant Bixby with home appliances.
The Korean tech giant held a press conference in Seoul demonstrating how consumers can build their own at-home IoT ecosystem with its AI voice recognition system being integrated into consumer electronics such as TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines.
Kim Hyun-suk, head of Samsung Electronics' consumer electronics division, said the integration of AI into home appliances will increase consumer convenience.
“As Samsung already declared its AI vision at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in January, we have been trying to make all Samsung-connected devices intelligent by 2020,” Kim said. “We will apply Bixby to a wider range of our home appliances.”
Samsung introduced Bixby last year, as the voice recognition system became available on the Galaxy S8 smartphone. To allow consumers to have their own AI ecosystem of interconnected IoT devices, Samsung applied Bixby to TVs, refrigerators and washing machines this year.
The company also began SmartThings last year, an open platform that brings everything together in fully automating consumers' home appliances ranging from TVs and lights to even door locks.
Kim explained that consumers using the SmartThings application can easily activate products connected to the network.
With Bixby-equipped home appliances, a user can wake up their IoT devices ranging from air conditioners to lights by just saying “Hi Bixby, I'm home.” The appliances will automatically switch to night mode when the user says “Good night.”
With Samsung's AI technology, consumers can monitor energy use and usage patterns and use their devices more efficiently. They can receive regular usage reports via the mobile app, which will also provide customized tips based on users' usage patterns.
Stressing that Samsung has put a lot on developing enhanced AI technology, the company has been focusing on increasing its capacity in AI.
Lee Geun-bae, who heads Samsung's AI research center, said Samsung has the edge in AI technology on the back of its long-accumulated knowledge about customers. “The core of AI technology lies in providing necessary services in advance by understanding users even in complicated environments,” said Lee.
Last November, the firm announced the creation of an AI research center dedicated to strengthening its AI research efforts. Lee said it will expand ties with other institutes and universities concentrating in AI research and will even seek mergers and acquisitions if necessary.