AI set to take over at CES 2024

Sam Altman, the head of OpenAI, will be absent from the CES trade show in Las Vegas in the upcoming week. However, the AI fervour ignited by his company last year will be prominently featured as tech manufacturers endeavour to integrate AI into consumer products.

From assistive devices for the visually impaired and security systems in schools to facial recognition software gauging vital signs and monitoring systems in self-driving cars, numerous companies will unveil innovations incorporating AI at the event.

Even in Altman’s absence, OpenAI’s impact at the event mirrors the influence Apple and Steve Jobs once wielded, with various companies eager to showcase products compatible with OpenAI’s groundbreaking technology.

Altman has become emblematic of the recent AI boom in the tech sector. His temporary removal from OpenAI’s board in November made headlines, prompting swift reinstatement following substantial employee support, with over 700 threatening to defect to OpenAI investor Microsoft.

Media reports have it that OpenAI is collaborating on a clandestine AI hardware venture with renowned former Apple designer, Jony Ive. Notably, funding for generative AI initiatives skyrocketed last year, reaching a staggering US$23.8 billion by December, a fivefold increase from 2022, as per PitchBook data.

Maribel Lopez, the tech analyst at Lopez Research says: “AI integration is now indispensable. If AI isn’t part of your product, it’s irrelevant.”

At CES, Germany’s Bosch aims to unveil a discreet gun-detection system utilizing AI-driven video and audio for enhanced school security. Meanwhile, Japan’s NEC plans to introduce AI software that assesses human vitals and mental states based on facial patterns and pupil conditions.

The automotive sector is pivoting towards leveraging AI to deliver hyper-personalized customer experiences, according to Akash Arora from Boston Consulting Group. For instance, Cerence is poised to announce a collaboration with Volkswagen, while Cipia, based in Israel, will reveal a system detecting driver distraction and fatigue signs. Amazon.com teased an upcoming AI collaboration with BMW.

Amid this AI surge, tech giants like Intel and AMD are positioning AI as a lucrative revenue avenue. Microsoft revealed plans to showcase PCs featuring a dedicated AI button on the Windows keyboard at the CES.

However, the consumer willingness to pay a premium for AI-enabled devices remains uncertain. Jay Goldberg, CEO of D2D Advisory, notes the challenge in elucidating tangible consumer benefits, especially when compared to the evident utility of innovations like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.