LG muscles in on competitive AI chip space

LG has unveiled has developed its own artificial intelligence chip in an attempt to muscle in on this increasingly competitive segment of the semiconductor market.

The AI market is proving to be rewarding for those who can prove their worth, and each day there seems to be a new ‘thought leader’ entering the fray. While there is a feeling AI could benefit application developers (Uber, Cruise, Waymo etc.) and internet companies (Amazon, Google, Microsoft etc.) more than the semiconductor giants, there will be winners and losers in this segment also.

“Our AI C​hip is designed to provide optimized artificial intelligence solutions for future LG products,” said IP Park, CTO of LG Electronics. “This will further enhance the three key pillars of our artificial intelligence strategy – evolve, connect and open – and provide customers with an improved experience for a better life.”

Nvidia might have made a run at this segment in the early days, though considering its experience lies in gaming applications, whether it can mount a serious challenge remains to be seen. Graphcore is one which has attracted investment from the likes of Dell, Microsoft and Samsung, while AMD, Intel, Huawei, Google and Qualcomm (as well as numerous others) are making this a very competitive space.

As with Intel in the PC-era and Qualcomm’s continued dominance in mobile, some might suspect there might be a clear leader in AI also.

LG has stated its chip will feature its proprietary LG Neural Engine to better mimic the neural network of the human brain. The aim is to distinguish space, location, objects and users, while hoping to improve the capabilities of the device by detecting physical and chemical changes in the environment. As with every AI plug, LG is also promoting the ability of on-device processing power.

Looking at the approach from LG, the team are targeting quite a niche aspect of the AI segment; the smart home. This makes sense, as while LG has a smartphone business, the brand is perhaps primarily known for its home appliances range.

During the last earnings call, the LG mobile business continued to struggle in a sluggish and cut-throat market, reporting a 29% year-on-year drop to $1.34 billion, though the home appliance market soared. Revenues and profits soared to record levels, accounting for more than 80% of the total profits for the business over the three months.

Future products, such as washing machines, refrigerators, and air conditioners will be fitted with the devices, as ‘intelligence’ and personalisation become more common themes in more generic and everyday products.

Maybe the smart toilet isn’t that far away after all.