Philips Lighting announced that it has added Baidu to its ‘Friends of Hue’ partner program. Baidu, the Chinese language internet search provider, will ensure that DuerOS, its conversational artificial intelligence (AI) operating system (OS), is integrated with the Philips Hue connected lighting system for the home. This means that Philips Hue lights will work seamlessly with all smart devices embedded with DuerOS, from smart speakers to wearable devices, which can be easily controlled through voice commands.

(Image: Philips Lighting)

“With the rise of artificial intelligence, voice interaction is proving to be a natural gateway to enabling smart living,” said Sridhar Kumaraswamy, Business Leader of Home Systems at Philips Lighting. “Through voice recognition, Philips Hue will provide a seamless connection to a variety of smart appliances and wearables, accelerating the development of smart home lighting and IoT in China.”

(Image: Philips Lighting)

“DuerOS has already been integrated into a variety of smart devices, including smart speakers, televisions and wearables, and we have big plans to develop even more DuerOS-compatible devices for the Chinese market,” said Kun Jing, General Manager of Baidu’s Duer Business Unit. “This partnership will enable Philips Hue to create more smart lighting experiences, enabling customers in China to control Philips Hue by using their voice and an even wider range of devices.”

(Image: Philips Lighting)

Conversational AI control is currently a key focus area for global Internet companies. Connected lighting is an essential and most widely used smart home application. Its adoption around the world has received a huge boost from voice-enabled technology. The cooperation between Philips Hue and Baidu DuerOS will spur the development of new applications for the Chinese smart home market, which is estimated to be RMB 350 billion (approximately EUR 45 billion) by 2020.