LG Electronics to expand its AI business; to make its devices compatible with Amazon Echo

LG Electronics will make its appliances work with Amazon Echo smart speakers as part of an ongoing process to expand into the **artificial intelligence business arena** . [caption id=“attachment_3979231” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] The global electronics manufacturer on Sunday said it planned to showcase its appliances working with Amazon’s Alexa **voice-controlled intelligent speaker** at the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) in Berlin that kicks off next week. LG said that while Echo does not respond to Korean voice command at present, research is underway to set up such a compatible system late this year or early next year, Yonhap news agency reported. It said LG products that will work with the Alexa personal assistant service that is used in refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, air purifiers, cleaning robots and ovens. The global home appliance manufacturer has been pairing its products with various smart voice activated devices for the past few years with an open platform and open partnership arrangements. At the 2016 IFA gathering, it introduced the SmartThinQ Hub that works with Alexa, while earlier this year at the annual Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show it displayed a smart fridge and household home robot that works with Amazon’s artificial personal assistant service. Besides products that can work with Echo, LG said it will unveil various Internet of Things devices, robots and smart home solutions in Berlin this year. In an **earlier report** , South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc had said that it will aggressively invest in robots, seeking to capitalise on advancing artificial intelligence that may eventually lead to sophisticated machines performing everyday human tasks. LG, in a statement, said its appliances division is preparing the firm’s entry into the robotics industry with the aim to develop products that will work closely with home appliances products such as refrigerators, washers and air conditioning units. Countries across the world are investing heavily in robotics in hopes to develop a new industry or cope with socioeconomic problems such as low birth rates or an ageing population by introducing machines which can serve humans as cooks, caretakers or labourers