Home smart home: AI enters the front door, 'helping you understand you'
Our homes are poised to enter the age of "smart" living, embracing artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to make life easier and more fun.
The vision of the not-too-distance future was on show at the annual Appliance and Electronics World Expo that ended Sunday in Shanghai.
People who attended the fair showed high levels of enthusiasm as they browsed through displays of immersive TVs, intelligent kitchen gadgets, robot cleaners and digital appliances.
The event played into the "trade-in" policies of national and local governments, which offer subsidies to encourage consumers to discard older electronic goods and upgrade with new models. It's all part of China's efforts to boost consumer spending and spur economic growth.
People flocked to Huawei's booth of the AWE show in Shanghai, Asia's biggest home appliance show, which closed on Sunday.
Bigger screens, better viewing
The expo is Asia's largest home appliance show, serving as a display case for hundreds of companies, including Fotile, Hisense, Huawei, Robam and Samsung, to showcase their visions for the smart homes of the future.
TV giant Hisense captivated attendees with a "TV wall" that featured an array of 100-inch-plus screens, including the world's first 116-inch RGB-Mini LED TV.
Researchers said more than 310,000 Chinese families now own TVs of 100-inch or larger screens, triple the previous year.
Hisense also released a white paper, developed in collaboration with Tsinghua University and several research organizations, outlining personalized TV viewing habits, based on AI-driven environmental and user data.
People watched Hisense's 116-inch RGB-Mini LED TV in AWE. More than 310,000 Chinese families now own TVs of 100-inch or larger screens by 2024.
Kitchen appliance maker Fotile introduced a new freezer that features "proprietary freshness preservation" technology in a space-saving design. It's the first of its kind from Fotile, a designer of smart kitchen devices.
Samsung showcased its AI-powered SmartThings system, connecting a range of appliances and offering customized AI-driven solutions for entertainment, fitness, food, security and energy efficiency. It includes remote pet and plant care, and elderly safety features.
Expo organizers pointed to 100 product launches aligned with Shanghai new policy of being a "debut" venue for new trends in technology, fashion and sports, among other sectors.
Kitchen appliance maker Fotile introduced a new freezer as the smart kitchen device maker's latest expansion.
AI permeates the home
AI was ingrained in nearly every booth at the expo, tapping into growing consumer interest in smarter living. The accessibility of open-source AI models like DeepSeek's recent breakthrough is feeding the trend.
A recent CTR Market Research survey found that over 70 percent of Chinese consumers are enthusiastic about AI-powered home appliances, citing improved quality of life and convenience. The majority of those planning to purchase AI-related appliances in the next two years are primarily interested in kitchen and household items, it said.
Samsung's smart home system covers pet and elderly and children care.
Huawei showcased a full house smart system that allows residents to control appliances, lighting and temperature via smartphones, TVs or other devices. The system incorporates Harmony OS, power line communication and high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity to offer features like intelligent air quality control and AI-assisted safety monitoring.
The system can deodorize homes, keep humidity constant, regulate lighting according to time of day, detect risks such as falls in the bathroom, and safeguard the safety of sleeping children and elderly living alone.
Kitchen appliance giant Robam unveiled the industry's first cooking AI model called Shi Shen, which means "gourmet." It integrates a 2-terabyte cooking database, 46 years of company expertise and the DeepSeek AI model.
The system can "converse" with cooks, provide recipe recommendations, cooking guidance and personalized meal planning based on health choices.
Robotic vacuum cleaners and robot dogs also drew attention at the expo.
According to research company International Data Corp, artificial intelligence can create services with a more precise understanding of the needs of individual families – "helping you understand you."
Vistors checked a smart bath room in Huawei's booth, with intelligent light and air control and Harmony OS-backed devices all connected.
Trade-in policies drive sales
E-commerce platform JD.com, in collaboration brands like TCL, Haier and Hisense, operated a trade-in zone at the expo, offering discounts up to 30 percent through a combination of national subsidies and platform coupons.
Last year, national trade-in policies drove the purchase of over 56 million household appliances, generating 240 billion yuan (US$33 billion) in sales, according to the Ministry of Commerce. These policies are expanding in 2025 to encompass a wider range of electronic products and smart devices.
Early 2025 data indicates that 4.87 million units were bought under the policies as of mid-February.
People checked Robam's AI-powered kitchen system, which helps every one cook well.
The CTR survey revealed that over 80 percent of respondents consider government subsidies an important factor in their decision to upgrade to smart appliances.
At the fair, Huawei offered instant smart home upgrade plans, priced from 9,999 yuan, that didn't necessitate extensive renovations like breaking down walls or lifting up floors to install cables.
Nearly 90 percent of respondents in the survey expressed interest in reconfiguring their homes in the future, led by households with monthly incomes of 30,000 yuan or more.
In 2025, the foray into the future will be most noticeable in home appliances like refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners.
JD's staff brought robot dogs in AWE, which turn a new kind of home appliance gadgets.
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