I've always thought I was immune to the dystopian appeal of house robots, but LG's latest launch at this year's IFA may have converted me. The LG Self-Driving AI Home Hub (yes I know, not the most catchy name), is an ultra-adorable house robot that can connect to home appliances and offer on-the-go advice – think of this little guy as a smart hub on wheels.
Whether it's the cute character design or the dinky portability of this little fella, consider my cold, anti-smart home heart officially thawed. At this year's IFA we've seen LG taking a wholesome domestic approach to AI, referring to its suite of smart home products as "affectionate intelligence". I hate to admit this homely tactic has worked on me – I'd like to preorder an army of these guys immediately.
Touted as "An all-around home manager and companion rolled into one" according to an LG press release, the robot is part of LG's vision to create a 'Zero Labor Home'. With its two-legged wheel design, the robot follows users around the house, verbally interacting with them in a fluid and natural manner. In a slightly terrifying (albeit useful) addition, the robot can roam freely around the home when the owners are out, switching off unused appliances and alerting users of suspicious activity. It can act as a childminder, however I think I may hold some reservations on that matter.
Using LG's new AI platform, the robot pal has "powerful on-device AI features such as face and user recognition," which it can use to decipher users' facial expressions and tone, providing music or curated content to fit the mood. Notably, it uses ChatGPT 4-o to provide a more 'natural' interactive experience, but LG's Self-Driving AI Home Hub can still do the typical Alexa-esque smart hub tricks, from everyday reminders to weather updates.
IFA 2024 bought us a broad range of new and exciting tech, like the new Lenovo Auto Twist AI PC that can move on its own – why you would need this feature is lost upon me, but at least it looks cool. We also got to see LG's stunning new 4K projector in the flesh, proving that LG knows how to blend style with smart tech.
