The era of AI managing our homes has truly arrived. Appliances that once required “Turn off the lights” commands now learn residents’ living patterns and act proactively. Here’s a look at what ‘Smart Home 3.0’ means through products unveiled ahead of CES 2026.
”You Look a Bit Tired Today”
Step into your bathroom in the morning, and the mirror speaks first. Samsung’s ‘Smart Mirror Pro’, set to debut at CES 2026, combines infrared sensors with AI image analysis to assess your skin condition, heart rate variability, and sleep quality. If it determines you didn’t sleep enough the night before, the mirror adjusts lighting to warmer tones and signals the water heater to fill your bathtub.
This is the core of Smart Home 3.0—AI that understands ‘context’ and acts without being asked.
Samsung vs LG: Korea’s Appliance Giants’ Strategies
Samsung’s ‘Bespoke AI Home’
At CES 2026, Samsung showcased ‘Your Companion to AI Living’ by integrating Google Gemini AI into Bespoke refrigerators. Internal cameras automatically recognize ingredients, track expiration dates, and provide personalized recipe recommendations. A new 9-inch AI Home screen turns the refrigerator into a smart home hub.
LG’s ‘ThinQ ON’ and CLOiD Robot
LG unveiled its second-generation SIGNATURE lineup under the ‘Live Beyond’ theme. The standout product is CLOiD, a home assistant robot with two articulated arms and dexterous fingers. Targeting a ‘Zero Labor Home,’ AI learns user routines to automate household tasks. LG’s ThinQ ON system is compatible with over 200 brands.
Korea’s Smart Home Market: Where Are We Now?
According to the Korea Smart Home Industry Association, the domestic smart home market reached approximately 31 trillion won ($23 billion) in 2025. Mordor Intelligence forecasts average annual growth of 17.33% through 2030, with most new apartment builds including smart home systems as standard.
CES 2026 Preview: Technologies to Watch
1. Hyper-Personalized Environment Control
Technology now allows different temperature, humidity, and lighting settings for individual residents. Even couples sharing a bedroom can set different temperatures for each side of the bed.
2. Predictive Energy Management
AI analyzes weather forecasts and electricity pricing to automatically run the washing machine during sunny daytime hours and charge electric vehicles at night. Companies claim this can reduce monthly electricity bills by up to 30%.
3. Health Monitoring Appliances
Sensors in toilets analyze urine to detect early signs of health issues. Japan’s TOTO has unveiled prototypes, and Korean startups are also entering development.
Privacy Concerns: Between Convenience and Surveillance
As AI penetrates the most private of spaces—our homes—concerns about privacy are escalating.
Concerns
- Data Breaches: If family living patterns and health data are hacked, serious secondary harm could follow.
- Constant Listening: Microphones always on for voice recognition raise privacy invasion concerns.
- Data Ownership: Legal debates are emerging about who owns data generated in private homes but stored on corporate servers.
Industry Response
Manufacturers are implementing ‘on-device AI’ technology—processing all computations within the device itself without transmitting user data to the cloud. Both Samsung and LG have announced plans to increase on-device processing to over 80% in their 2026 products.
The Future: ‘Agentic AI’
Industry experts see ‘Agentic AI’ as the next frontier in smart homes. Rather than waiting for user commands, AI proactively assesses situations and executes routines automatically. For example, adjusting home temperature before you arrive from work, or gradually waking you with light based on sleep pattern analysis—no alarms needed.
CES 2026 also emphasized improving cross-brand compatibility through multi-protocol support like Matter and Thread.
Conclusion: Balancing Technology and Life
Smart Home 3.0 will undoubtedly make our daily lives more convenient. But we must constantly ask whether we’re trading privacy for convenience, or becoming overly dependent on technology.
Home isn’t just a living space—it’s a sanctuary where we can be our most authentic selves. Whether AI makes that sanctuary warmer or becomes another form of surveillance ultimately depends on our choices.
