Samsung Unveils Bespoke AI Appliance Lineup at Global Launch Event

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today showcased its latest home appliance lineup at a series of events held in Seoul, Paris, and New York City, under the banner “Welcome to ‘BESPOKE AI'”. Samsung shared its vision for how connectivity among appliances can improve the overall home experience and how artificial intelligence (AI) enhances their performance.

Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics, kicked off the events by describing how Samsung home appliances not only perform well with usual tasks but can do more than previously imagined with AI applied. Especially with screens added to the refrigerator, induction range, and laundry machine, Bespoke appliances become a platform for entertainment, as well as an easy-to-access control hub for other connected Samsung appliances through SmartThings.

“Since the first introduction of BESPOKE in 2019, Samsung Electronics has presented to the market how appliances can be customized to fit each user’s home and lifestyle best,” said JH Han. “Five years later, we now share our vision for AI in appliances with the products that expand the Bespoke legacy through enhanced connectivity and AI capabilities that will take the consumer experience to the next level.” 

Bespoke AI Appliances Sync to Create New Experiences in Various Home Spaces

With built-in Wi-Fi, internal cameras, AI chips, and compatibility with the SmartThings application, Samsung’s latest Bespoke AI appliances have enhanced features and connectivity to lay the foundation for a truly smart home. The new AI Home, a connected 7-inch LCD display added to multiple products, provides intuitive, easy access and control over the whole connected ecosystem.

The AI Home not only makes housework easier but more enjoyable as well. Users can play their favorite songs, watch videos on the internet app, or refer to recipes on the screen while they are cooking.

Considering how people usually carry their mobile phones, Mobile Smart Connect is a new feature that pushes an alert to the phone when it is in close range with registered appliances. The pop-up notification includes a quick control menu to execute key functions for the appliance directly from the phone, eliminating the need to search for the remote control. This removes even the few steps and clicks required to access the same features in the SmartThings application.

To provide assurance to users entering the era of hyper-connected home appliances driven by technological advancement, Samsung also highlighted its comprehensive Knox security platform that protects all user data located on the connected appliances.

AI Expands Spectrum of Features to Samsung Home Appliances

Besides the location, the most distinctive difference between the three events is the product lineup showcased at the press conferences, reflecting the specific appliances launching in each market.

The Seoul ‘BESPOKE AI’ event boasted the most extensive lineup with 14 new products, including the Bespoke French Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub™+, Bespoke Infinite Induction Line, Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™, Bespoke Jet Bot Combo™ AI, Bespoke Jet AI™, Bespoke Cube™ Air Infinite Line, the new 2024 4-Door refrigerator incorporating Peltier technology, and more.

The 4-Door French Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub™+ serves as the primary control center for all things food, connecting the refrigerator to other appliances in the home. The AI Family Hub™+, a large LCD screen in the front right panel of the refrigerator, is the key to an intuitive AI experience, allowing users to view recommended recipes and play music and videos for kitchen entertainment. The 4-Door French Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub™+ comes with AI Vision Inside, which uses an internal camera to identify 33 fresh food items. The recognized food items are listed and managed on the Family Hub™ display and can also be checked on the SmartThings app.

Another key product is the Bespoke Jet Bot Combo™ AI, a robot vacuum and mop cleaner with AI-enhanced features including intelligent AI Recognition. This intelligent AI Recognition performs in different ways. The AI Object Recognition uses the AI Deep Neural Network (DNN) model and camera to recognize various objects, including humans, pets, and hard-to-see items like thin phone cables and rugs or mats. The AI Floor Detect senses the type of floor to clean, and when carpets are detected, the robot vacuum decides whether to lift up its mop or leave it at its station to avoid contaminating the carpet. It also comes with the Clean Station Steam+, which offers a range of features for automatically maintaining the device, such as emptying the dust bag, refilling the water tank, washing, and intensively steam cleaning the mop. The Clean Station Steam+ even sprays high-temperature steam onto the mop’s surface, reducing 99.99% of harmful bacteria.

As energy-saving is a crucial criterion in the European market, the Paris ‘BESPOKE AI’ event additionally introduced the new energy-efficient extra wide fridge freezer and the washer lineup. According to European energy standards, the extra wide fridge freezer has received an “A” grade, thanks to Samsung’s new AI Inverter Compressor. The new washer lineup includes three models offering A-10%, A-20%, and even A-40% extra energy savings. Especially, the A-40% extra energy efficient model is equipped with Bubble Shot Technology, which saves water and cycle time by pumping up the water inside the drum and spraying it on top of the clothes.

The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™, presented at both Seoul and NYC events, is the ultimate space-saving solution. This all-in-one washer and dryer combines the advantages of two separate appliances into a single unit. Packed with AI features, the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™ remembers users’ periodic and seasonal needs, recommending the optimal cycle for each wash. With AI Opti Wash & Dry™, it intelligently adjusts washing and drying performance for every load. The system senses laundry weight to dispense the appropriate amount of water and detergent, while also detecting fabric type and monitoring soil level throughout the cycle. If necessary, it adds more detergent and varies washing time. Finally, the drying process adjusts to suit the weight and fabric of the laundry. Users can monitor energy and water consumption through a report provided on the SmartThings App after each cycle.

A unique appliance introduced only at the New York event held in Samsung 837 was the Bespoke Slide-in Range with AI Home. This multi-functional induction range boasts entertaining features alongside its powerful cooking capabilities. The Internal Oven Camera allows users to see inside the oven from remote locations, like on the TV in the living room, or even from outside the home through SmartThings on their mobile phones. This functionality lets them create short time-lapse video clips showcasing the cooking process, perfect for sharing on social media.

Furthermore, Samsung is showcasing its vision of implementing generative AI to home appliances within this year. Especially, Bixby, Samsung’s voice assistant, will be a key in this. Generative AI will allow Bixby to go one step further from the current ability to execute one order at a time, comprehend complex sentences and engage in natural conversations. First, it will understand compound demands like “Turn on the air conditioner to Wind Free mode, and let me know how the weather is.” It can also retain context from previous interactions for continuity, so if the user instructs Bixby to turn off the air purifier and add, “Oh, and the TV, too,” Bixby can assist with both requests. Users can also rely on Bixby to come up with solutions, simply saying “The living room feels humid,” and ask “What should I do with all the potatoes I bought yesterday?” Bixby will interpret these multi-layered tasks and respond naturally to users’ prompts. 

Advancing the Future of Appliances.

Samsung is not only dedicated to presenting a better home experience but also is committed to creating more innovative and efficient products. The event held a special significance in the context of not only introducing the new product lineups and features Samsung is launching but also announcing globally how all Wi-Fi connected appliances, including those that customers already own, can be transformed.

Samsung continues to upgrade Wi-Fi connected appliances in the market and already in users’ homes through software updates and the development of SmartThings. This allows users to enjoy new features even with older models, including additional energy-saving features for already purchased products. Smart Forward, a service announced for the first time at the event, provides the latest features, security patches, and upgrades through regular software updates. Users can check available update information and receive notifications from the SmartThings App. This ensures peace of mind for users and also contributes by reducing the frequency of appliance replacements.

SmartThings also continues to evolve, allowing users to save even more on their energy usage after purchasing a product. Features such as Optimal Charging are added so users can strategically plan out their energy use. SmartThings Energy allows users to easily monitor and control the amount of energy consumed by their connected Samsung appliances. Samsung also plans to launch its new Samsung Rewards program in the near future. This program will allow users to earn stamps each day if they save a certain amount of energy using AI Energy mode. Accumulated stamps can be converted and used at Samsung.com, Samsung Galaxy store, and other Samsung purchase platforms.

Beyond Innovation: A Focus on Sustainability

As a crucial player in the home appliance industry, Samsung revealed a goal to utilize next-generation technologies for purposes beyond creating innovative products. It’s about using engineering solutions that prolong product lifecycles and reduce the frequency of replacements. Some of the methods introduced in the press conference include:

• Hybrid Cooling, which incorporates newly installed high-power ‘Peltier’ thermoelectric components in addition to the compressor, resulting in improved cooling efficiency and performance.
• Low-maintenance filters for air purifiers, eliminating the need for filter purchases or replacements.

Product safety is also an important factor that Samsung prioritizes. They strive to achieve and expand certifications to prove product liability across all appliance categories, including reduced fire risk (RFR) certification for new products. This will assure that the certified appliances are designed to prevent fire incidents caused by the product effectively.

Samsung and Inside Out 2 Team Up for Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™

At the end of the event, Samsung also revealed a collaboration with Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” (coming to theaters June 12th in the PH) to communicate the features of the new Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™. A new co-branded teaser video was shown that featured Inside Out 2 clips and showcased how, with the new washing machine, you can take the stressful emotions out of laundry with AI Bubble™.