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LG's New Voice Assistant Lets You Interrupt Mid-Sentence

LG and Microsoft Unveil a Voice Assistant That Won't Talk Over You

Tired of voice assistants that drone on while you're trying to ask something else? LG feels your pain. At the Microsoft Industry Summit in Seoul's Gangnam District, the company pulled back the curtain on a new AI voice assistant built with Microsoft—and it's designed to handle interruptions like a real conversation.

The assistant will live inside LG's smart home hub, ThinQ ON, and according to South Korean outlet EtNews, it promises a chat experience that feels almost human. LG isn't just dipping a toe into the smart home pool; it's diving headfirst into the race for the ultimate home access point.

Say Goodbye to Awkward Pauses

At the heart of this system is Speech to Speech technology, paired with Microsoft's Voice Live capabilities. Traditional assistants force you into a rigid Q&A loop: you ask, they answer, you wait. The new assistant flips that script. You can cut in mid-sentence, toss out a new topic, and it will instantly drop its previous response, catch your new intent, and roll with it.

That might sound like a small thing, but it tackles a long-standing headache: voice assistants that feel stiff and struggle when you change your mind halfway through a sentence. No more talking to a brick wall that insists on finishing its weather report while you're trying to set a timer.

Coming This Year, and Not Just for Living Rooms

LG says the Voice Live-equipped ThinQ ON will launch within this year, and existing users will get the upgrade through a software update. But here's the twist: LG isn't only eyeing your cozy living room. Hotels, offices, and retail stores are also on the target list.

With smart speaker sales flattening out, companies are now fighting over who can deliver a conversation that doesn't make you want to pull your hair out. LG's bet on Microsoft's AI muscle is a clear play to grab a slice of both the home and commercial markets.

Key Points

  • Interrupt-friendly: The assistant supports mid-sentence interruptions, switching topics smoothly without missing a beat.
  • Tech behind it: Combines Speech to Speech intelligent agent tech with Microsoft's Voice Live.
  • Launch timeline: ThinQ ON with Voice Live arrives this year; existing devices get it via update.
  • Beyond homes: LG is targeting hotels, offices, and retail spaces as well.
  • Why it matters: As smart speaker growth stalls, LG aims to stand out with a more natural, human-like conversation experience.

So, will this finally be the voice assistant that feels less like a robot and more like a helpful friend? LG and Microsoft are betting on it.