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G U+ Vice Chairman Kwon Young-soo said his company will introduce artificial intelligence technologies LG Electronics developed and launch a voice recognition service. 

He made the remarks at a meeting with reporters on the sideline of the CES 2017 in Las Vegas, the United States, on Jan. 6. Vice Chairman Kwon had contacts with related companies with the goal of releasing a voice recognition AI service this year. 

Starting with SK Telecom’s release of the AI service “NUGU” last September, the nation’s tree telecom service providers have been scrambling to gain an upper hand in the Korean artificial intelligence service segment. LG U+, an AI late-comer, is trying to catch up with the front-runner SK Telecom through collaboration with LG Electronics. 

But Kwon would not elaborate on the details of introducing the AI service. Each telecom service provider will consider the linking of the AI service with other things, including music and shopping, he added. 

LG U+ has recently set up an AI task force. The team is believed to be preparing for the launching of a speaker-type AI home service. 

Vice Chairman Kwon had business meetings with overseas ICT companies, including U.S. telecom service provider Verizon. Following a meeting with Verizon officials, Kwon said Verizon is leading in the IoT segment, and they have strengths, including their capacities to handle big data that LG U+ can learn from and cooperate with, Kwon added.

Vice Chairman Kwon has stressed that big data is one of the areas the telecom service provider can do well in. Chances are high that LG U+ will sign an agreement to take over a technology to use and analyze big data from Verizon, business sources said. Kwon expressed his determination to use the benchmarking of U.S. and Chinese telecom service providers as a way to tap the big data business segment. 

It was learned that LG U+ has discussed ways of promoting collaboration in the connected car business, emerging as a new growth engine, with Toyota and Hyundai Motor. Kwon also visited San Jose, Calif., the location of Cisco’s headquarters, to have business meetings with officials. 

LG U+ Expands Home IoT Services to Officetels, Apartments

LG U+ said it will provide a built-in smart home IoT system to 1,000 officetel units in the Seoul metropolitan area, which are to be built by Taerim Synthesis Construction. 

Outfitted with LG U+’s home IoT system will be “Taerim the Kkulium Officestels” near Gurae Station in Gimpo, a new satellite city in Gyeonggi-do, and in Cheongna District in Incheon whose construction will be launched by Taerim Synthesis Construction in October.

Subscribers can check whether the front door of their home and windows are open or closed via a smartphone app. They are able to turn lights on or off, as well as monitor electricity or gas consumption remotely. 

Boilers, air-conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, stoves and other home appliances can be also controlled remotely. Voice orders can be activated. For instance, if you say “let’s clean up” via your smartphope, you can set in motion ventilators, air purifiers, robot cleaners and curtains simultaneously. 

LG U+, which made its debut at the home IoT market in July 2015, has maintained the No. 1 position by securing 360,000 households in one year. “We will continue to expand the provision of the home IoT services to such housing units as officestels and large-sized apartments,” said Ryu Chang-soo, managing director in charge of home IoT at LG U+.

LG U+ Steps on Gas in IoT Service Market

LG U+, which designated the Internet of Things (IoT) as a new growth engine, is stepping on the gas to explore new services in the IoT sector, penetrating people’s daily lives.

LG U+ has a strategy to walk the walk in such core business segments as video and electronic settlements, making them sustainable profit models.

The Korean financial information company FnGuide said on Feb. 18 that LG U+ posted 632.3 billion won in operating profit in 2015, up 9.7 percent over the previous year, as well as 351.2 billion won in net profit, a 54.5 percent jump. The telecom service provider’s operating profit is projected to grow to 701 billion won this year.

LG U+ promises to take an omnidirectional approach to diversify the IoT business arena.