Samsung, LG Unveil AI Living at IFA as Robots Take Center Stage

Samsung Electronics (005930) and LG Electronics (066570) will present blueprints for AI living, in which artificial intelligence supports daily life across the board, at IFA 2026, Europe's largest home appliance show, in Berlin. Also drawing attention is the large-scale entry of Chinese companies leading with innovative advanced robotics technology. This year's show is expected to evolve beyond a simple showcase of new appliances into a fierce competitive arena for future robots and AI platforms.

Samsung Electronics said it will operate a large-scale exhibition space under the theme "Your AI Companion for Everyday Life" from the 2nd through the 6th. Instead of Messe Berlin, the main IFA venue, Samsung Electronics has set up a standalone experience space at Humboldt Carre, a convention center in the heart of the city. The company will focus on showcasing an ecosystem that extends beyond the AI Home, where appliances and smart devices connect, into daily life as a whole, including leisure and health care.

Samsung's exhibition space is divided into three companion themes: entertainment, home and self-care. In the entertainment zone, the company will present personalized viewing environments through next-generation Micro RGB TVs and a conversational Vision AI Companion. The home zone will feature the Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator, which identifies ingredients with a camera, and the Bespoke AI washing machine, which cuts power consumption by an additional 70% below Europe's top energy efficiency rating standard.

Mobile innovation continues as well. The company will emphasize its hyperconnected ecosystem with the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, at 4.1 millimeters the thinnest in the history of the Galaxy Z Fold series, and the Galaxy S26 FE, which launches on the 4th. Samsung will also operate a separate Creator Hub at the IFA Palais inside Messe Berlin, linked to the Creator Stage live podcast that is part of its exhibition lineup.

LG Electronics is countering by unveiling ThinQ Claw, an AI agent that brings text-based chat to the AI Home, in the European market for the first time. ThinQ Claw identifies user intent and context through conversation and provides tailored support. The company will also debut ThinQ Pro, a building management platform aimed at commercial spaces, extending its AI ecosystem into business-to-business territory.

The key point to watch at this year's IFA is the aggressive robotics push by Chinese companies. At the event, which is expected to draw more than 220,000 visitors from 140 countries, about 900 Chinese companies have set up booths, approaching half of the roughly 1,900 participating brands in total. Beyond established Chinese appliance powerhouses such as TCL and Hisense, Chinese companies including Unitree and AgiBot will stage large-scale demonstrations of humanoid robots in zones such as the Innovation Stage, the main stage; Dream Stage, covering AI and robotics; and IFA Next, for startups and next-generation technology. Xiaomi, participating for the first time this year, will also show off AI-based robotics technology.

Notably, the exhibition floor will host "Robots on the Runway," the world's first stage where robots walk a runway and perform demonstrations. Humanoid robots from around the world will walk the runway themselves and carry out demonstrations to prove their advancing technological capabilities.

Traditional appliance heavyweights in Europe and elsewhere, defending their home turf, are mounting a defense with locally tailored innovations. Germany's Miele will present an advanced future lifestyle led by a dishwasher with an AI-based camera, an AI cooking assistant and a premium cordless vacuum cleaner. Germany's Karcher will also show off its latest cleaning solution technology. Global technology companies including AMD of the U.S., Panasonic of Japan and Acer of Taiwan will round out the exhibition floor.

Beyond mere viewing, a substantive battle for orders will also unfold. According to the organizer, eight out of every 10 trade visitors are directly involved in purchasing decisions. In particular, 93% of purchasing officials attending events such as IFA Global Markets, for buyer matching, and the Retail Innovation Zone, covering retail technology, are senior decision-makers, pointing to intense competition.