Lee Jae-sung, head of the ES Business Division at LG Electronics (president), said via the LG Electronics Global Newsroom on the 9th, "AI is reorganizing the rules across industries, and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industry is no exception," adding, "We will go beyond adapting to the AI era and lead innovation."
The plan is to internalize the use of AI not only in research and development (R&D) but also across manufacturing and services to improve work efficiency and build a differentiated "competitive-edge technology."
LG Electronics has dramatically shortened its R&D timeline in the HVAC business by using AI-based virtual product development technology, and it is also strengthening operational efficiency by combining AI with digital twin technology that implements real facilities and equipment in a virtual world to predict server heat generation at data centers in advance and automatically control air conditioning systems.
Lee said, "We have built a sustained competitive edge with LG Electronics' differentiated HVAC technological prowess and advanced R&D capabilities," adding, "Powered by AI's growth potential, we will build a more efficient and sustainable future."
LG Electronics is exploring new business opportunities in the AI era to strengthen business competitiveness. To that end, the strategy is to provide customer-tailored total solutions in the infrastructure domain, a downstream industry of AI. In step with advances in AI technology, the AI infrastructure market is also growing rapidly, and LG Electronics is expanding its business scope in this market with commercial air-conditioning systems; industrial and power-generation cooling chillers; and liquid cooling solutions for AI data centers (AI DC), such as CDUs (coolant distribution units).
Lee said, "As demand grows for advanced HVAC solutions such as AI data centers and unitary systems, new growth opportunities are emerging," adding, "The ecosystem expanded by AI technology is opening the way for next-generation thermal management technologies, including liquid cooling for data centers and advanced commercial heat pumps."
LG Electronics' orders for data center chillers last year grew to about three times the previous year. LG Electronics predicted that achieving the overall chiller business revenue target of 1 trillion won by next year will be well within reach.