AI News spoke with LG corporate vice president Samuel Chang about ThinQ, the company's brand for products and services incorporating AI. Chang played a major role in this year's AI & Big Data Expo in Santa Clara last week, taking part in both a solo presentation on "Process Automation from IoT Data" and a panel discussion on "Data and the Customer". Following the event, AI News decided to catch up with Chang to discuss LG's current experience in artificial intelligence and where the industry is heading next. How important is AI becoming to differentiate from competing products? With artificial intelligence gaining traction across a range of industries, it's becoming important to allow differentiation among competing products.

Don't block the airflow of your fridge or put too much soap in your washing machine, or LG's app will yell at you. LG calls the feature "Proactive Customer Care," and plans to debut it at the IFA Tech Showcase in Berlin next week. A new part of LG's ThinQ app, the feature uses artificial intelligence to monitor compatible appliances for potential problems like temperature drops or poor air flow. LG Proactive Customer Care will roll out to Europe first on new front-load washing machines and bottom-freezer refrigerators -- next year, LG plans to bring it to the US, too. The intelligence behind the service is specifically designed to help you maximize the lifespan of your appliances, and it might scold you about how you're using them to help. The service specifically looks for examples of misuse, malfunction or needed maintenance.