KT, Hyundai Livart to pursue DX in home interior

South Korea’s KT Corp. and furniture and interior company Hyundai Livart Furniture are pursuing Premium Interior Digital Transformation (DX), a joint project whose gist is the connection of an artificial intelligence (AI) platform to furniture and home improvement.

The two companies on Wednesday said they signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in interior DX that includes launching a business integrating a communication platform with furniture and interior design.

Their first task is to offer the furniture company’s interior remodeling brand Livart-zipterrier in a package with Genie Air, KT’s complex DX control platform for optimization of indoor air quality based on AI.

From this month, buyers of furniture or interiors at Livart stores nationwide can also purchase Genie Air. Depending on home size, the platform’s price starts from about 3 million won ($2,238) for one room and covers installation of air purifiers and platforms.

Genie Air maintains indoor oxygen concentration at 21.6%, or the level of a coastal forest, making a room feel safe and comfortable. Users can use the platform through vocal commands like “Genie, put my den on oxygen concentration mode.”

Through this deal, KT has expanded the sales scope for Genie Air from neonatal rooms at postpartum care centers to residences.

“We can raise our odds of success through the sale of a communication platform that manages indoor air quality when buyers change furniture and interiors,” a company source said. “We will expand our business with a futuristic premium interior package.”

Both companies will develop new DX services after this package, mainly those based on the Internet of Things at home given the expected expansion of such services at future residential environments.

“Joint sales are planned through online and offline distribution channels,” a KT source said. “We will also use big data to reinforce our services and marketing.”

Write to Ji-Eun Jeong at jeong@hankyung.com