Skip to main content

LG's New Voice Assistant Lets You Interrupt, Coming to ThinQ ON This Year

LG and Microsoft Want to Make Talking to Your Home Feel Human

LG Electronics just pulled back the curtain on a new AI voice assistant for smart homes, built in partnership with Microsoft. The reveal happened at the Microsoft Industry Summit in Seoul's Gangnam District, and the tech is headed straight into LG's ThinQ ON smart home hub. LG says the experience feels less like barking commands at a machine and more like chatting with a person.

Say Goodbye to Awkward Pauses

You know the drill with most voice assistants: you ask something, then wait—sometimes painfully—for the whole answer before you can get another word in. LG's new system throws that out the window. Thanks to Speech to Speech intelligent agent technology and Microsoft's Voice Live, you can cut in whenever you want. The assistant stops mid-sentence, picks up on your new intent, and shifts gears without missing a beat.

That might sound like a small thing, but it's actually a big deal. Anyone who's ever tried to correct a smart speaker knows the frustration of rigid, one-track responses. This design aims to fix that.

Not Just for Your Living Room

LG plans to roll out the Voice Live-equipped ThinQ ON within this year. And if you already own a ThinQ ON? You'll get the upgrade through a software update—no new hardware required.

But here's where it gets interesting: LG isn't stopping at home. The company is eyeing commercial spaces too—hotels, offices, retail stores. Smart speaker sales have plateaued, and companies are now racing to deliver conversations that actually work. By tapping Microsoft's model capabilities, LG is clearly angling for a foothold in both the home and business markets.

The Bigger Picture

Voice assistants have been stuck in a rut for years. They handle simple commands fine, but real conversation? Not so much. LG's bet on interruption-friendly, context-aware dialogue could be a step toward something that feels less like a gadget and more like a genuinely useful helper.

Will it deliver? We'll find out later this year.

Key Points:

  • LG and Microsoft unveil a smart home voice assistant with Speech to Speech tech and Voice Live.
  • You can interrupt mid-conversation, and the assistant adapts on the fly.
  • It's coming to LG's ThinQ ON hub this year, with existing devices getting an update.
  • LG is also targeting hotels, offices, and retail stores.
  • The move signals a push for more natural, human-like voice interactions.