Why do you need AI in TVs? LG gives 4 reasons how your television viewing experience will change

LG explains the role of AI in TVs, its benefits for gaming, content consumption, and preventing OLED burn-in.

LG OLED TVs displayed at the LG Science Park in Seoul, South Korea. (Shaurya Sharma - HT Tech)

AI is ever-present these days—from enterprise solutions by Google and Microsoft to consumer-grade use cases like Meta AI in WhatsApp. However, AI for home use—to create intelligent homes—has largely gone unnoticed amid the proliferation of chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and AI for enterprise. Nevertheless, LG has been integrating useful AI features into its product lineup, particularly its TVs, which have been the company's strong suit for some time.

LG OLED TVs specifically come with a host of quality of life features designed to improve user convenience. These include adjusting the picture profile based on user preferences, providing voice-activated commands to open particular settings or OTT apps, and dynamically adjusting the volume according to room acoustics.

For instance, a simple use case for LG TVs with the AI features packed in would be asking the TV to open Netflix and start playing a sci-fi movie. You are not limited to one particular style or way of saying this; the command can be non-descriptive, and your TV will still understand what it needs to do. This is where the AI comes into play. To understand how impactful AI is for devices like TVs, LG has shared several key reasons why it matters, its role, and how hardware also comes into play.

LG α11 (alpha 11) AI chipset facilitates on-device AI capabilities. (Shaurya Sharma - HT Tech)

LG α11 (alpha 11) AI chipset facilitates on-device AI capabilities. (Shaurya Sharma - HT Tech)

Why Does AI Matter in TVs?

While smartphones are often the first to receive the latest LLMs, features, and powerful software, the largest screen in your home—the TV—also deserves significant attention, especially considering the extensive use cases it offers.

Frank Lee, Professional Marketing PR-Part- HE company, LG Electronics, revealed in an exclusive chat with Shaurya Sharma of Hindustan Times Tech several details about LG's display business. He discussed the role of artificial intelligence in the current LG OLED lineup and emphasised the TVs' suitability for both console and PC gamers, aiming to diversify into larger and better displays.

“The key thing for gamers is having incredible processing speeds. With the LG Alpha 11 AI processor, and LG's on-device AI capabilities, it's possible to achieve this whether the content is in 120Hz or 144Hz. It's particularly relevant for consoles, where many users prefer larger televisions in living rooms, but we've also seen PC gamers moving out of the bedroom and basement," Lee said, explaining where G-Sync and FreeSync capabilities come into play.

Lee added that LG is one of the few TV brands offering Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. "Depending on your setup—whether it's console or PC—you get the full experience from both a video and audio standpoint."

Simply put, it's the mundane tasks that the TV takes care of for you. How many times have you made the effort to go through the TV menu to adjust the settings? Chances are—not often. Or what if your TV knew what to prioritise in a movie? How a scene should be presented, where the focus should be.

Having AI features as a helping hand, making this process easier, is where the real value lies. You will not use your TV to generate images, but having an easy-to-use tool that lets you extract the maximum out of your TV is something that ends up creating value, especially for the new flagship LG OLED evo M, OLED evo G and OLED evo C, powered by the Alpha11 AI Processor. LG QNED TV's also have a variation of the Alpha AI Processor. LG explained, “In addition to leveraging some of the primary AI capabilities from our OLED TVs, these processors lend itself to precise lighting controls to maximise the visual performance of our LED TVs.”

Role of AI for Improving Visuals and Audio Quality for Gaming and Content

When asked about how LG's on-device AI and the latest chipsets improve gaming and content consumption, Frank explained:

"It's designed to make real-time assessments because it can identify a video game, its genre, and its content. Think of it this way: AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync handle lag and jitters, but when it comes to audio, video, and all the textures involved in a video game—especially first-person shooters with a lot happening simultaneously—you have to prioritise."

Further, LG emphasised that “LG TVs have a host of features that will provide gamers with performance advantages. To start, LG TVs provide VRR and will automatically go into Game Mode (ALLM) upon detecting a gaming signal. This ensures there are no unnecessary processing taking place, to provide as little lag between the time from the input from the controller and the on-screen activity. LG is one of the few brands that offers both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, which provides the user with the benefit of minimal input lag and tear-free visuals. LG is also one of a select group of TV brands that also offers multiple HDMI 2.1 ports with the full 48Gbps bandwidth. In addition, through HGiG LG TVs can establish a clear handshake between itself and the videogame console so it is aware of the full parameters of the TV's HDR capabilities.”

This is another major use case of AI that contributes to the bigger picture. Having nothing to worry about while gaming is where the value lies, and this should alleviate concerns about constantly navigating menus and wasting precious time that could have been spent gaming itself.

LG TVs have the capability to analyse your room and tune the acoustics accordingly. (LG Electronics)

LG TVs have the capability to analyse your room and tune the acoustics accordingly. (LG Electronics)

Audio is also a key aspect of the overall experience that is often neglected, as many are afraid to filter through menus to fine-tune the sound. Here, too, LG AI does the work for you, understanding how to tune the sound according to particular scenes—when to elevate and when to lower it. In fact, your standard 2.1 experience is transformed into a 5.1 virtual surround sound, boosting the overall "cinematic" experience.

Burn-in and OLEDs: No Longer a Problem

Burn-in has been a common concern with OLED TVs, where prolonged use can cause image retention. Many people know someone who has experienced burn-in from watching too much news on a particular channel, leading to a “burned-in” logo. This issue has deterred potential buyers from purchasing OLED TVs and worried existing owners.

LG has assured us that there have been significant hardware improvements, including better materials, panel enhancements, and AI algorithms to minimise burn-in. "The algorithm recognises a HUD, game, or scenario and works to refresh it," Lee confirmed.