Samsung simultaneously unveils AI-powered appliances to the world

Samsung Electronics is, for the first time, launching its AI-topped Bespoke lineup of home appliances at the same time worldwide in order to make a more powerful impact on the fledgling market.

In the past, a specific product was strategically launched in a particular market first, followed by other releases.

The Korean tech giant held a press event titled “Welcome to Bespoke AI” in Seoul on Wednesday where it unveiled its new home appliance lineup, with corresponding events scheduled to take place in New York and Paris on the same day.

“Instead of launching one product in one country like before, we are introducing them simultaneously all over the world,” said Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee at the event in Seoul.

“Its impact will be greater.”

The unveiled lineup, spanning 15 products ranging from a refrigerator, washer-dryer and robot cleaner to an induction range and air conditioner, is topped with AI features and connectivity.
 
The Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator, which has been trained on 1 million food images, helps users manage the freshness of ingredients by monitoring best-by dates and sending notifications when the preset deadline is near. Through its Samsung Food app, the refrigerator recommends recipes and sends it to the connected range.
 
The Bespoke AI induction range can control the power of the heat to prevent soups from overflowing through its pre-trained machine learning algorithm, which can estimate the boiling point through the vibration of the pot.

The camera-installed Bespoke AI steam robot cleaner has been trained on 1.7 million objects to clean its way through the house regardless of objects on the floor. With five ultrasonic wave sensors, it can distinguish a bare floor from a carpeted floor to choose between vacuum and mopping functions.
 
The simultaneous launching event will unveil region-specific products, as well, that cater to local needs.

At the Paris unveiling, Samsung Electronics will introduce an extra-wide fridge-freezer specific to the European market as well as a washer lineup that is more energy efficient to accommodate the region’s higher energy-saving standards. The New York event will present its region-unique Bespoke slide-in range featuring an internal oven camera that allows users to see inside remotely through their smartphones or TVs.

“The 2024 Bespoke AI lineup is the starting point of a paradigm shift,” Han said. “After Europe and North America, other regional markets will also have launching events with their regional heads.”
 
LG Electronics, in its tit-for-tat battle with Samsung for AI home appliance dominance, distributed a press release on the same day reiterating that it was the first to implement the concept of AI in home appliances in 2011.
 
Han responded to the claim by saying “who was first is not important but who delivers more value to the consumers is what I consider more important.”

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]