CES “All On” for AI across all industries in 2024

President and chief executive officer of the CTA Gary Shapiro

Next year’s information technology (IT) and tech industry buzzword will be artificial intelligence (AI) across all industries. While 2023 saw AI’s industrialization with the development of generative AI such as ChatGPT, next year will see practically all products be equipped with AI, leading to a significant performance enhancement, according to Gary Shapiro, president and chief executive officer of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) which organizes the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

“AI will take center stage at CES. Whether it is smart home, healthcare, fintech or manufacturing, you will see AI integrating into products across various sectors, contributing to humanity,” he said during his first press meeting with Korean journalists at Lotte Hotel in central Seoul on Thursday.

The annual CES is often referred to as the tech industry’s New Year as it is held in January, providing an opportunity to be the first to grasp the tech trends throughout the year. With over 7,000 participating companies and an expected 130,000 attendees, the event is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas, the United States, from January 9 to 12, 2024. The upcoming event’s theme is “All On,” emphasizing the idea that everyone should embrace tech together and focus on tech, according to CTA and the event’s main message is the sustainable development of humanity through technology.

Shapiro said that L’Oréal Group CEO Nicolas Hieronimus will be the keynote speaker, noting that “based on trends observed over the past 15 years, we can see that not only the beauty industry but all industries are becoming tech-driven.”

In addition to the L’Oréal Group CEO, CEOs from HD Hyundai Co., Nasdaq Inc., Siemens AG, Walmart Inc., and Elevance Health Inc. are also part of the keynote speaker lineup.

HD Hyundai CEO Chung Ki-sun is expected to deliver a speech on the topic of “Innovation on Land Beyond the Sea.” “Improving productivity and sustainability in the construction industry will be the key to solving many of the human security issues currently facing our civilization,” Chung said in a press release. Kim Pan-young, senior vice president at HD Hyundai, said on Thursday that “HD Hyundai not only has world-class ship technology, but also robotic construction equipment technology,” adding, “We want to show how HD Hyundai can now innovate for humanity on land.”

Themes including mobility, food and agtech, healthcare, and wellness tech, are expected to receive significant attention at CES, along with AI. In healthcare in particular, personalized products will be launched one after another due to AI advancements, according to CTA.

The reason CTA held the press event in South Korea is due to the country becoming a center of innovation.

“Korea sent about 500 Korean companies to CES 2023,” Shapiro said, noting that the country also produced 200 innovation award winners.

“It is rare to find a country that invests 2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in its innovation ecosystem and has 15,000 startups,” he added. “Trade between Korea and the United States has grown 85 percent since the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries, and we expect it to grow even more with technological innovation.”

Meanwhile, Maekyung Media Group formed a media partnership with CTA for the seventh consecutive year, the longest period for a Korean media organization. Maekyung plans to dispatch a large-scale reporting team to the upcoming CES to spread innovation and provide comprehensive coverage through newspapers, Mirakle Letter, Maeil Broadcasting Network (MBN), and more.

In particular, the MK CES Forum 2024 will be held at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on January 9, 2024, where U.S. big tech executives will introduce cutting-edge technologies in person. The event will also serve as a bridge between U.S. big tech companies and Korean CEOs.

Additionally, Maekyung Biz will run the ‘Maekyung CES Observation Group’ from January 8 to 14 for those unfamiliar with the CES. A professional tech guide will lead the delegation from Korea and provide in-depth guidance throughout the event. A separate ‘CES Debriefing’ will also be held immediately CES concludes for those who were unable to attend.