CES 2024 is in the books. Every year, I travel to Las Vegas as part of Future's Show Daily team, covering press conferences and cool new products. While the show is still largely about the consumer—no one is installing the Spider-Verse EV I saw on display in the Pro AV world—you may be surprised how much the show has evolved toward enterprise and commercial AV.
As mentioned during the "CES 2024 Trends to Watch" panel, 30-40% of exhibitors showcase enterprise solutions. But what do enterprise-level companies have to gain from a consumer electronics show?
[Bosch Looks to the Future of Energy]
It’s simple, really, when you consider some of the biggest buzzwords from a week on the show floor. Artificial intelligence, electrification, hydrogen power, sustainability, cybersecurity, and mobility dominated the booths, and there was hardly a press conference held without at least two of those buzzwords mentioned.
AI and Amazon Are Everywhere
There wasn’t much of the floor space that wasn’t talking about AI. From autonomous vehicles to drones, it’s fair to ask how close we are to taking the green or red pill and entering the Matrix.
Amazon Web Services was shown powering data and analytics for the likes of the NFL and other major companies, but now it is entering the car business. Several car companies are using the benefits of the AWS cloud, like Bosch, whose technology will be able to let a car recognize when a driver is tired.
While we’ve discussed AI in Pro AV solutions for some time in products like videoconferencing cameras, the technology is being used in everything. Take streaming, for example. Disney and Pfizer executives both spoke on how AI will play a large role in simplifying streaming—and not just for viewers. As Emmanuel Marquez, Pfizer's global head of media, growth, and performance marketing noted, companies can optimize, test, and learn what is working. Automation and AI play a key role and can bring scale in in future terms of innovation and personalization. Businesses are now informed by data and technology in real time.
[Julian Phillips Explains Why Every Pro AV Company Needs a Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer]
Going back to automotives, in-vehicle, AI-generated infotainment makes daily life as smooth as possible by recognizing the user and purpose in real time, automatically uploading what the user needs when they need it. When you pair in self-driving cars, we are closer to the Jetsons than we have ever been before.
A Greener Tomorrow
“For the sake of our planet we must end our dependency on fossil fuels, and we must do it now,” said Dr. Tanja Rückert from Bosch. “We need to continue to drive forward electrification, cleaner newer sources of power, and maximizing energy efficiency.”
Bosch was one of the first press events at CES, and the company set the tone for CES 2024 with a goal of sustainability through electrification and hydrogen-powered solutions. At CES, Bosch is debuted its Automated Valet Charging system to take the stress out of EV charging. Likewise, Bosch had a focus on hydrogen, a renewable power source, which can help in the electrification of larger, heavy-duty vehicles for moving things and construction sites. With Bosch’s AMPShare battery platform, workers use the same batteries across all Bosch tools to simplify their battery assortment and usage and reducing waste.
Hyundai, a long-time innovator in hydrogen power, also spoke of a more sustainable future through hydrogen. Hydrogen’s high accessibility makes it fair to everyone and capable of powering everything. It unlocks all possibilities and allows Hyundai to take something complex and make it tangible for everyone. It quite literally provides “ease in every way”—Hyundai’s theme at CES—to everyone.
Simply put, sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint were evident at every booth at CES, whether it was cars, farming equipment, or fun robots.
Iron-Clad Online Security
Robert Downey Jr. showed up with his partners, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Hari Ravichandran, to talk about Aura. From online hackers to even cyberbullying, Aura is an online safety service that addresses the rising rate of online crime.
Downey Jr., who had little problem owning the Marvel persona he has become known for, is not simply a spokesperson for the platform, but is deeply involved with the creation of it, as his family has been a victim of online crime. In fact, he dropped some mind-boggling numbers, claiming one in four of the attendees at his panel would be victim to online crime. "You can barely keep up with the exponential growth of it," he said.
With a focus on family security and finance, the three spoke of their shared passion to not only educate about online crime, but also use—you guessed it—AI as a valuable tool to protect from it.
[SCN Finally Goes Inside the Vegas Sphere ... and We Had a Ball]
Keep It Moving
When you consider nearly the entire West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center is dedicated to automobiles, boats, super-cool John Deere autonomous tractors, and other things that move (more than 300 exhibitors alone), the theme of mobility is unavoidable.
It is no longer simply how do we get people to different places, but how do we do it without killing the environment. Electrification is the overwhelming theme, and there were EVs aplenty as well as many companies showcasing the latest in EV chargers and the digital signage opportunities they provide.
KIA's presentation of the PBV Series was one of the most fun on the floor. To a roomful of oohs and aahs, Kia unveiled for the first time its Concept PV5. As with all EVs, sustainability is at the heart of the PBV series, showing that Kia can both innovate and protect the environment hand in hand. Part of the PBV series, the PV5 opens the door for new businesses and lifestyles by enabling more efficient, reliable, and meaningful in-vehicle experiences with interchangeable vehicles. Yup, you read that correctly—the configurations are endless.
