IFA 2024 evolves into a hub for AI and robotics competition

IFA 2024, Europe’s largest consumer electronics exhibition, opened in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday (local time). It showcased its evolution from a consumer electronics show into a venue for competition in IT, AI, and robotics. Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics showcased their most advanced AI and robotics technologies. Unlike in previous years, when they focused on displaying product lineups, the two companies exhibited an ecosystem that organically connects home appliances through an AI-based smart home platform.

The day before, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz personally visited the Samsung and LG booths to try out the AI robots. It had been 18 years since an incumbent German chancellor last visited the IFA show floor, the previous visit being in 2006. IFA celebrated its 100th anniversary this year, and visitors' attention was largely focused on AI robots. Samsung Electronics' pet robot Ballie, equipped with the voice assistant Bixby, demonstrated its ability to make real phone calls by receiving commands in everyday language.

LG Electronics' mobile AI home hub (model name Q9) can recognize the title of a book when it is held up to its display, which functions including a face recognition, and read out a summary of the book's content that it has learned.


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