CES 2024 Preview: A Sneak Peek into the Future of AI & Tech

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has long been the premier showcase for the world‘s most cutting-edge gadgets and gizmos. But in recent years, the show has also become a crucial bellwether for the state of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI has progressed from a niche research topic to a transformative force touching every industry, CES has emerged as the place to track its evolution and envision its future.

That trend looks set to accelerate at CES 2024, taking place January 9-12 in Las Vegas. With AI now a household term thanks to the viral popularity of chatbots like ChatGPT and image generators like DALL-E 2, exhibitors big and small are poised to highlight how they‘re harnessing machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and other AI technologies to revolutionize their products and services.

"AI has been a hot topic at CES for several years now, but 2024 is shaping up as an inflection point," said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes CES. "We expect AI to be more pervasive and prominent than ever before, integrated into everything from cars and kitchens to screens and software. CES 2024 will showcase the next leap forward for this transformative technology."

By the Numbers: CES 2024‘s Massive Scale

Just how big will CES 2024 be? Here are some key stats that illustrate the massive scale of the world‘s largest tech show:

Metric	Projection
Attendees	175,000+
Exhibiting Companies	4,000+
Startups	1,300+
Media & Analysts	6,500+
Exhibit Space	2.9 million net sq. ft.
C-Space (content area)	70,000 net sq. ft.

Source: CTA

These numbers reflect a significant rebound from the pandemic-dampened CES 2022 and a return to the record-breaking scale of pre-COVID shows. But more than sheer size, CES 2024 looks to be defined by the substance of its exhibitors and their innovations. And across the board, those innovations are being driven by AI.

The Generative AI Revolution Hits Home

Perhaps no area of AI has captured more attention and investment recently than generative AI. The ability for AI systems to create novel content – whether text, images, video, audio, or code – has opened up tantalizing possibilities for creativity and communication. And at CES 2024, the potential of generative AI to reshape products and user experiences will be on full display.

"We‘re seeing an explosion of generative AI tools that can augment and accelerate human creativity," said Avi Greengart, lead analyst at Techsponential. "At CES, I expect many of these tools to graduate from proofs of concept to fully-integrated product features that consumers can experience firsthand."

Some key areas where generative AI is likely to make a big CES splash:

• Smart Devices: Home appliances, wearables, and other gadgets will feature built-in AI assistants that can engage in free-form dialogue, answer follow-up questions, and generate personalized content. LG, for instance, is rumored to be unveiling a smart fridge that uses ChatGPT-like technology to suggest recipes based on inventory.

• Gaming & Entertainment: Generative AI will enable more immersive and interactive experiences, from NPCs with richer dialog to user-customized avatars, skins, and storylines. Gaming giants like Sony and Microsoft are expected to preview new AI-driven graphics and animation engines.

• Automotive: AI will power more contextual communication with drivers and passengers, generate real-time media recommendations, and even create visual content for in-car displays. GM is reportedly developing an AI assistant that can engage in freeform conversation to help troubleshoot vehicle issues.

• Productivity: Generative AI writing tools will be embedded into email clients, messaging apps, and word processors as co-pilots for professional and personal communication. Grammarly is said to be preparing a major upgrade to its AI-powered writing assistant.

"What‘s exciting is that we‘re still in the early innings of what generative AI can do," said Rowan Curran, an analyst at Forrester Research. "As the technology matures and more developers experiment with it, we‘ll see a Cambrian explosion of new applications emerge – and CES will be the place to discover them."

Under the Hood: Chips and Systems Powering the AI Boom

Of course, all these AI experiences will require significant computational horsepower under the hood. That‘s where improvements in chips, hardware, and systems come in – and at CES 2024, the arms race among semiconductor giants to power the future of AI will be in full swing.

All eyes will be on Nvidia, the pioneer of graphics processing units (GPUs) that have become synonymous with the deep learning revolution. At CES, Nvidia is planning a massive "AI Everywhere" pavilion showcasing its latest GPUs and systems for applications like autonomous driving, robotics, healthcare, and gaming.

"AI is the most powerful technology force of our time," said Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang in a pre-CES statement. "Our vision is to help every industry harness AI to solve their greatest challenges and create new opportunities. At CES, we‘ll be demonstrating the breadth of our AI platform and ecosystem, from the cloud to the edge."

Nvidia archrival AMD will also be out in full force at CES, showcasing its newest line of AI-optimized GPUs and APUs. The company has made significant strides in high-performance computing and is looking to gain ground on Nvidia in the lucrative AI accelerator market. Intel, meanwhile, will be highlighting its Meteor Lake CPUs, which feature a dedicated AI engine called VPU for on-device machine learning.

Other chip makers to watch at CES 2024 include:

• Qualcomm, which will showcase its Snapdragon mobile chips optimized for edge AI
• Arm, which will highlight the potential of its low-power designs for IoT and embedded AI
• Graphcore, a UK startup taking a novel "intelligence processing unit" approach to AI acceleration
• Cerebras, a pioneer of wafer-scale chips designed to speed up AI model training and inference

"AI chips are quickly evolving from a niche product category to the linchpin of the semiconductor industry," said Alan Priestley, an analyst at Gartner. "CES 2024 will provide a glimpse into the future of heterogeneous computing, as CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and custom ASICs all play an essential role in the AI-driven systems of tomorrow."

The Road Ahead: AI in the Driver‘s Seat

Perhaps no sector has generated more CES buzz in recent years than automotive. And at CES 2024, the headline story looks to be the accelerating AI-ification of the vehicle experience.

While truly autonomous vehicles remain over the horizon, AI is already transforming cars in myriad ways, from driver assistance and safety features to infotainment and navigation. At CES, expect a slew of announcements around AI co-pilots, in-vehicle intelligence, and software-defined EV platforms.

Some marquee auto announcements to watch:

• Mercedes-Benz will preview the next generation of its MBUX smart cockpit, featuring an AI avatar that can converse with drivers and learn their habits and preferences over time
• Hyundai and Kia will jointly unveil a new AI-driven concept car that can sense passengers‘ emotions and adjust the in-cabin experience accordingly
• Ford is expected to announce a major upgrade to its BlueCruise hands-free driving system, using AI to enable more proactive assistance in complex scenarios like construction zones
• Volvo and Luminar will show off their next-gen lidar and computer vision platform for expanded auto-pilot capabilities in city driving

At the same time, CES 2024 will highlight how Big Tech companies are increasingly encroaching on automakers‘ turf. Apple is reportedly planning a preview of the rumored "Apple Car" operating system, which would bring Siri and other iOS features more deeply into the driving experience. Amazon will showcase expanded integrations of Alexa into partner vehicles. And Alphabet‘s Waymo will demo its latest self-driving system and open platform for third-party developers.

"The battle for the automotive cockpit is heating up, with incumbents and insurgents alike vying to shape the software-defined future," said Sam Abuelsamid, principal analyst at Guidehouse Insights. "CES 2024 will provide a glimpse of that future, as AI becomes the core building block for a safer, smarter, and more personalized in-vehicle experience."

Home Smart Home: The AI Amenities Arms Race

At CES 2024, expect to see a similar AI invasion in smart home technology, as appliance makers, electronics brands, and software giants all showcase intelligent features aimed at making domestic life more automated and adaptive.

In the kitchen, a new generation of AI-powered large and small appliances will take center stage. Samsung is rumored to be unveiling a suite of interconnected devices that use computer vision and machine learning to streamline meal planning, cooking, and cleanup. The star of the show is said to be a smart oven that can automatically recognize ingredients, suggest recipes, and optimize time and temperature for perfectly cooked dishes.

For home entertainment, the headline story at CES 2024 will be AI-generated and personalized content. Several smart TV makers are expected to announce partnerships with generative AI studios to create customized movies, shows, and other programming tailored to an individual or family‘s interests.

On the home security front, AI will enable a new wave of proactive and predictive monitoring. Companies like Ring and Arlo are said to be working on computer vision systems that can not only detect threats in real time, but anticipate potential risks and alert users before incidents occur.

And throughout the home, ambient intelligence platforms that use multi-modal AI to learn users‘ patterns will vie to serve as the central operating system for the smart home. Players like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Samsung are all expected to announce major upgrades to their respective smart home ecosystems at CES.

"The smart home has been a perennial CES theme, but AI is poised to finally deliver on the promise of a truly intelligent living space," said John Delaney, IoT research director at IDC. "By learning user preferences, automating more tasks, and enabling more natural interactions, these AI-powered systems will create a new standard of home automation and assistance."

Robots on the Rise

Speaking of automation, CES 2024 is also shaping up as a milestone moment for consumer and commercial robotics.

At past shows, robots have often been more of a novelty – attention-grabbing but impractical. But at CES 2024, a new class of AI-driven robots will take center stage, showcasing more robust capabilities in areas like navigation, perception, manipulation, and human-machine interaction.

Some key robotic categories and exhibitors to watch:

• Home Bots: A new wave of domestic robots that can handle more complex household chores, from folding laundry to assembling furniture. Korean bot maker Hanool is expected to unveil its long-awaited "Rosie" robot maid prototype.

• Companion Bots: Social robots that use emotion AI to engage in more convincingly human-like interactions. MIT spinoff Emoshape will demo an updated version of its Pepper-like companion bot that can detect and respond to facial expressions and emotional cues.

• Delivery Bots: Sidewalk robots that use AI to navigate city streets and deliver food and goods to consumers. Postmates, Refraction AI, and other startups are set to showcase their latest autonomous delivery rovers.

• Collaborative Robots: Industrial cobots that use AI to work safely alongside humans in factories, warehouses, and retail settings. Universal Robots and Fanuc will be highlighting their newest models with smart features like voice control and predictive maintenance.

"Robotics has long been the poster child for AI‘s potential, but we‘re finally seeing that potential start to be realized in practical, scalable ways," said Kate Darling, a robotics ethicist at MIT. "At CES 2024, we‘ll get a glimpse of how robots are becoming more capable, adaptable, and integrated into our daily lives – and how they‘re poised to reshape everything from work to play."

Privacy, Ethics, and The Dark Side of AI

But even as CES 2024 shines a spotlight on AI‘s dizzying possibilities, the show is also likely to grapple with the technology‘s potential downsides and unintended consequences.

With AI now being embedded into all facets of consumer and enterprise products, concerns around privacy, surveillance, bias, and transparency will loom large. Companies that fail to proactively address these issues in their CES announcements and demos may find themselves in the crosshairs of media, regulators, and concerned citizens.

"As AI proliferates, it‘s incumbent on the tech industry to bake in protections for user privacy and agency from the start," said Jules Polonetsky, CEO of the Future of Privacy Forum. "I‘ll be listening for CES exhibitors to not just tout their AI innovations, but also articulate how they‘re safeguarding user data, enabling user control, and ensuring responsible development and deployment."

Another key theme will be AI bias and fairness. Several CES panels and keynotes are expected to grapple with how to ensure that AI systems – from facial recognition to lending algorithms – are developed and used in equitable ways that don‘t discriminate against marginalized gender, racial, and ethnic groups.

"CES provides an important platform to showcase the potential of AI, but it‘s equally vital that we confront the risks and limitations of these systems head-on," said Ruha Benjamin, a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and author of "Race After Technology."

Finally, CES 2024 will serve as a forum to debate AI‘s impact on jobs and the future of work. With generative AI poised to automate more cognitive tasks – from writing to design to analysis – questions about AI‘s potential to displace human workers across a range of industries will take on new urgency.

"The time to grapple with AI‘s economic and societal implications is now," said Andrew Yang, former presidential candidate and founder of the nonprofit Humanity Forward. "I‘ll be looking to CES exhibitors and speakers to address not just what AI can do, but what we must do to ensure that its benefits are shared broadly and its risks are mitigated proactively."

Conclusion: CES 2024 as AI Inflection Point

Taken together, the AI announcements, demos, and debates at CES 2024 will provide a panoramic view of a technology that has rapidly moved from the fringes to the center of the global economy and culture.

Over the course of four days in Las Vegas, attendees will glimpse a future in which AI is ubiquitous – embedded into every device, application, and service that shapes our lives. They‘ll marvel at the ways in which machine intelligence is augmenting human creativity, productivity, and decision-making. And they‘ll grapple with the profound challenges and choices that an AI-driven future presents for individuals, organizations, and society at large.

"In many ways, CES 2024 marks an inflection point for AI – a coming-of-age moment where the technology‘s potential is matched by its pervasiveness," said Shapiro of CTA. "As AI evolves from a novelty to a necessity, CES will continue to be the place where its trajectory is defined and debated."

One thing is clear: The AI future previewed at CES 2024 will be here before we know it – in our pockets, in our homes, and in our lives. The question is whether we‘re ready for it.