(CNN) — The first companion robot with ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) “smart belt” that helps guide the visually impaired, and AI-enabled vacuum cleaners, mops and other household appliances.
After a year in which artificial intelligence grabbed the headlines and the attention of the technology sector, it’s no surprise that new products introduced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) also revolve around AI.
CES 2024, celebrating its 58th edition, kicks off this week in Las Vegas with an expected mix of cutting-edge technologies and extraordinary gadgets.
The event, the biggest consumer technology conference of the year, is known for robots roaming the show floor, exciting presentations from major tech companies and the launch of exotic products like the US$3,000 autonomous baby stroller last year. And cars that change color.
But the event is also a breeding ground for contract negotiations between executives, manufacturers and retailers from various sectors. It can lay the groundwork for some of the biggest technology trends of the year and highlight how companies want to participate in that conversation.
“Perhaps the question to ask is what things will not be touched by AI this year,” said Deepanjan Chatterjee, principal analyst at Forrester. “ChatGPT has created such a frenzy over the past year that companies feel they have to jump on the AI bandwagon, even if they don’t know where it’s going.”
Expect AI in everything, such as chips and cards from companies like Intel and Nvidia, and consumer devices like Samsung’s refrigerators with an “AI family hub,” Chatterjee said. Various roundtables will address the potential impact of AI on employment and ethical considerations.
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which hosts CES each year, announced that it expects about 130,000 in-person attendees this year, up from 115,000 last year and 45,000 in 2022, amid concerns about the omicron variant of Covid-19. in between In 2024, the CTA will once again offer live broadcasts of some events.
The event will feature over 4,000 exhibitors and 1,200 startups from around the world. Featured speakers will include executives from companies such as Samsung, LG and Microsoft, as well as discussions with Snap co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel and Walmart CEO Doug McMillan. Once again, participation from Apple, which is usually absent at CES, is not expected.
According to CTA, approximately 60% of Fortune 500 companies will participate, allowing for diverse product launches and discussions across all sectors of technology and beyond. Beauty is now an official product category at CES, and L’Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronymus will deliver the company’s first keynote speech at CES.
Lou’s companion robot is the world’s first consumer robot equipped with ChatGPT artificial intelligence technology. (Credit: Beijing KEYi Technology Co. Ltd.)
CES is one of the fastest growing auto shows in the world. Various forms of transportation from floating and rolling to flying will be introduced this year.
For example, navigation company Brunswick will introduce electric boats and motors as well as self-piloted pleasure boats. Winfast, a Vietnamese electric vehicle company that just entered the US market, will introduce new models, including a small SUV. And Hyundai will be present with an electric plane from its air taxi subsidiary Supernal.
As always, many car manufacturers will also showcase the latest things that can be seen and done inside their cars.
Beyond Artificial Intelligence
This year, foldable screens, next-generation wearables and accessories related to mixed reality are also expected to receive a lot of attention.
“Use cases (for augmented reality and virtual reality) are expected beyond gaming, such as multimedia consumption and enterprise use, such as training, onboarding and collaboration,” said Ramon Lamas, director of research firm IDC Markets. “It’s important for companies to position themselves before Apple releases Vision Pro later in the year.”
New portable devices will also be on display. A gadget called Dusk Rx, up for a CES 2024 Innovation Award, promises to be the world’s first prescription glasses that allow users to control the shade of their lenses via the frame or an app. For their part, Hi-Tech Leggings, which is also up for an innovation award, offers Hi-Tech Microcurrent to improve sports performance.
Some companies may introduce improved versions of earlier innovations. In recent years, for example, voice-activated devices and smart speakers have dominated CES, as companies have rushed to bring their voice assistants into everything from microwaves to toilets.
While consumer adoption of this technology was largely overestimated, the same companies can take voice to the next level with generative AI, the technology that powers products like ChatGPT.
“It will be interesting to see if generative AI-powered capabilities can reset the clock for voice applications, making the voice interaction process more intuitive and useful than ever before,” explained Chatterjee.
Stuart Carlow, director of research at ABI Research, said that while CES is a useful barometer for gauging overall market trends, the number and variety of tech products on display makes it difficult for anything to really break out.
“It’s like a group of blindfolded researchers trying to understand the intensity of the elephant they’re interacting with,” Carlo said.
“The only exception is AI,” he added. “If you don’t have an AI-related story, are you even a tech company?”
CES runs through Friday, January 12.
CNN’s Peter Valdes-Dapena contributed to this report.
