Being recognisable in the global consumer electronics industry is not easy. Imagine the effort it must have taken to ensure that people associate Apple with creative work and aspiration, or how graphics cards instantly remind you of NVIDIA, how ?Thanda matlab Coca Cola' spread like wildfire, and how iPod was once the default term for MP3 players.

Similarly, LG, or Lucky Goldstar as it was known before, is renowned for its appliances. Visit any Indian household, and it is likely that you will find an LG product?be it an AC, TV, fridge, or simply a microwave. It took LG years of groundwork and brand building to make people aware of its products, and while it was successful in associating appliances with the branding, the company is now diversifying?to become a ?smart life solutions company.? And no, as it would seem to many, it's not simply a rebranding exercise; it's an overhaul that LG wants for its brand image?to create a good life for people as the world of consumer tech changes rapidly.

To put it simply, LG doesn't only make appliances. In fact, its portfolio of products now also includes vehicle solutions, which focus on making your car an extension of your home, if you will. Plus, it is working on educating the masses about social media algorithms and how to tweak them to console good content. Of course, it has its own AI strategy, with its own principles governing the development of ?Affectionate Intelligence.' Plus, the company is constantly working to improve in its current domains, such as HVAC solutions, to promote electrification and do its part in addressing climate change.

AI for LG is ?Affectionate Intelligence'

AI for Apple is Apple Intelligence, similarly, for LG, AI stands for ?Affectionate Intelligence,' and the company treats the field as a means to care and convenience to people's life.

But, firstly, let me address the elephant in the room: how does AI come into play for something like a washing machine or a fridge? For electronics that we use on a daily basis, it is imperative that companies work towards experiences where the end user doesn't have to think much. For instance, some of LG's washers use AI to identify the fabric of the clothes, and depending on the fabric type and users' preferences, it chooses the best wash. Typically, for appliances like washers, many just tend to ignore the myriad options that the manufacturer has provided, but this is where AI comes into play.

LG says that it has gained insights from 700 billion hours of device usage across 700 million LG devices in the world, and this is why the company thinks that it is in a position to help people live a better life?a good life thanks to customer-centric AI. ?LG is utilising its vast repository of insights and hundreds of millions of devices as an AI acceleration platform, which will help us deliver the most customer-centric AI yet,? said Han Eun-jung, vice president of LG's AI Lab.

Think about it: we have seen how mainstream AI bots, including ChatGPT and Gemini, based on advanced Large Language Models, have been instrumental in bringing convenience to enterprises, and making them more productive for consumers, but so far, it is seldom that we hear about an AI implementation in products that we use on a day-to-day basis: our appliances?the washing machines, ACs, TVs?after all, they are some of the products that we spend a lot of time using. So, talking at the product level, it makes sense that LG is bridging this gap.

?It's essential that AI delivers real value to our customers through human-centred innovations, and that's what Affectionate Intelligence is all about,? said Han Eun-jung, vice president of LG's AI Lab.

On a different note: we have seen how negatively the word ?Artificial Intelligence' has been perceived. It is not just LG that is going with something (Affectionate Intelligence in this case) to brand it, but other giants like Apple, too, have used a different branding in the form of Apple Intelligence,'and I get where these companies are coming from. Soon, many others may follow as well with their own terms.

Helping People Consume Better Content, Connecting With the Youth

LG is also working towards improving its connection with the youth?to help them understand how its products can help them. For this, the brand has kickstarted its efforts to build physical spaces like Ground220 in Seoul, where customers can come and do a wide set of activities, including designing their own t-shirts, and learn about the brand's various offerings.

Plus, LG is also not shying away from admitting the fact that social media can sometimes be a toxic place. And for this, too, the South Korean giant has launched a campaign called ?Optimism Your Feed.' For this, LG collaborated with creators themselves to create curated playlists and original content for audiences that helps build optimism and train their algorithms to show them feel-good and positive content in the long term. It can be found on LG's YouTube channel and other social media platforms.

And, particularly for India, it has organised the All Indian K-POP contest, wherein young Indians could come and showcase their skills in K-POP. This is another one of the brand's ways to promote its brand promise, Life's Good.

LG's HVAC Strategy for India

India is a tricky place when it comes to climate, with extreme winter and brutal summers, and hence needs custom products. LG is working towards building locally customised products, and more importantly, it is bringing energy-efficient solutions to help reduce the consumption of electricity?promoting sustainability.

For this, the brand told us that it is doing this by investing in local infrastructure. "LG is committed to leading the HVAC market with innovative, energy-efficient solutions that meet the unique needs of customers in every region. Our investment in local infrastructure, including R&D, distribution, and service networks, ensures that we provide tailored solutions that enhance comfort and sustainability," James Lee, head of Air Solution Business Unit at LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company, said.

Vehicle Solutions Is Targeted at Improving in-Cabin Experiences

Many of the interfaces you see in cars nowadays from certain manufacturers like Mercedes, Hyundai and Kia feature LG. How? Well, it includes P2P (pillar to pillar) displays in cars such as the Mercedes EQS, ADAS systems, and of course, in-vehicle entertainment platforms such as Playware. During my interaction with Valentin Janiaut, software solutions leader at LG VS Company, he told me that LG is looking at two key products currently: Playware and Metaware. And they both are an attempt at making one's car an extension of the living space?especially considering how much time we spend in them.

For those unaware, Playware is a secondary system that exists in tandem with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to provide entertainment experiences, and it is mostly offered with cars with multiple displays. Metaware, on the other hand, is designed to improve the drivability by using augmented reality and mixed reality to provide important information via AR HUDs in cars. Plus, it also uses procedural AI generation to create 3D environments for maps.

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