Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are successively integrating external generative artificial intelligence (AI) into their smart home platforms.
Moving away from the traditional approach of implementing smart homes solely with in-house AI, competition is expanding toward controlling home devices and services using general-purpose AI such as Google Gemini and OpenAI ChatGPT.
Samsung Electronics is linking Google Gemini to its SmartThings AI-based pet care service. The revised SmartThings service terms newly specify the “SmartThings Pet Care Assistant,” where AI establishes an execution plan based on home management goals input by users.
According to the revised SmartThings privacy policy, Samsung utilizes Google Cloud's generative AI model Gemini for AI services like the Pet Care Assistant and routine creation. The system analyzes and processes in real-time data such as SmartThings location and linked device information, user inputs, camera footage/images, and pet profiles.
Earlier, LG Electronics connected ChatGPT with ThinQ last month. Users can now invoke LG ThinQ via ChatGPT to check or operate home appliances, inquire about product functions, or ask for usage instructions. The range of compatible appliances will expand sequentially, starting with air conditioners and air purifiers.
The integration of smart homes with general-purpose AI is expected to grow rapidly. Google has unveiled the “Home MCP,” a standard specification allowing external AI agents to access Google Home. AI connected via MCP can recognize home spaces and device lists, as well as monitor real-time device statuses.
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that enables generative AI to query and control external services, data, and devices in a standardized manner. It allows direct device control, analysis of past status changes, and event histories. Beyond Google Gemini, access via external AIs like Claude and OpenCLO will also be possible.
LG Electronics is also expected to gradually expand the connectivity between external AI and its smart home platform. Athom, a Dutch company with 80% ownership by LG Electronics, operates the smart home platform Homey based on an MCP (Multi-Connection Protocol) open architecture. It is reported that LG Electronics is considering a long-term plan to expand the connectivity of ThinQ with external AI in a similar direction to Homey.
Other smart home platforms are also rapidly broadening their integration with external AI. Home Assistant supports connecting external AIs like Claude and ChatGPT through its MCP server, allowing them to check and control the status of connected devices. The Chinese smart home platform Tuya has also expanded the connectivity between external AI and smart home devices by opening an MCP-based development environment.
Industry observers predict that the entire smart home platform ecosystem will eventually support broad connections with general-purpose AI. Although SmartThings has not officially announced an MCP open strategy, the developer community is already making attempts to utilize external AI through public APIs.
A home appliance industry insider stated, “The competitiveness in securing platform leadership will depend on how diversely users can access the smart home platform,” adding, “It is no longer sufficient to simply increase the number of connected devices.”
