AI to dominate this year’s CES, even without OpenAI’s Altman on hand

January 5, 2024

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Despite Altman’s physical absence, OpenAI’s influence at the show is reminiscent of Apple and its founder Steve Jobs, whose clout was felt despite his absence, with many firms competing to display gadgets compatible with the company’s sleek products.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will not be attending the CES trade show in Las Vegas next week. However, the generative artificial intelligence fever that his startup sparked last year will be on full display as gadget makers race to find consumer applications for the technology.

Hundreds of companies have planned announcements for the show about how they are incorporating AI into their products, ranging from devices for the visually impaired and gun safety systems in schools to facial-recognition software that can assess vitals and cabin-monitoring systems inside autonomous cars.

CES 2024, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, takes place from January 9 to 12.

Despite Altman’s physical absence, OpenAI’s influence at the show is reminiscent of Apple and its founder Steve Jobs, whose clout was felt despite his absence, with many firms jockeying to display gadgets compatible with the company’s sleek products.

Altman is widely regarded as the poster child for the AI frenzy that has engulfed the tech industry in recent months. He made headlines in November when he was briefly removed from the ChatGPT maker’s board, only to be reinstated days later after more than 700 employees threatened to quit in solidarity with OpenAI investor Microsoft.

According to media reports, OpenAI is working on a secretive AI hardware project with famed former Apple designer Jony Ive, among other things.

According to PitchBook data, funding for generative AI projects more than fivefolded to $23.78 billion through the beginning of December in 2022.

“It’s the year of AI in everything,” said Maribel Lopez, a Lopez Research tech analyst. “If you don’t have AI in your product, don’t show up, it’s not worth talking about.”

Bosch of Germany is expected to demonstrate a near-invisible gun-detection system that will combine video and audio AI for proactive school security involving firearms. NEC, a Japanese company, will unveil artificial intelligence software that will allow mobile devices to analyze face patterns and pupil conditions to estimate human vitals and mental state.

A slew of companies are expected to demonstrate how artificial intelligence (AI) in vehicles is making them smoother and safer for drivers by improving in-vehicle virtual assistants and cabin monitors.

According to Akash Arora, a managing director at Boston Consulting Group, the new focus area for automakers after years of investment in autonomous technology that uses AI is technology that allows a “hyper personalized” experience while buying and driving cars.

“They’re trying to figure out, ‘if I could get to this level of customer experience, it can really differentiate me in the market,'” he said of automakers.

Cerence, which creates AI-powered virtual assistants, is set to announce a collaboration with Volkswagen, and Israel-based Cipia is expected to unveil a system that detects signs of distraction and drowsiness in drivers. Amazon.com said it will announce a generative AI partnership with BMW at the show, but declined to provide further details.

Many automakers are also using AI at various stages of production to cut costs, according to Wendy Bauer, vice president of automotive and manufacturing at Amazon Web Services, whose customers include BMW and Toyota. She believes that artificial intelligence (AI) can help automakers save money by speeding up vehicle development and ensuring better quality checks during manufacturing.

PC and smartphone manufacturers are also expected to demonstrate how their products use AI, which chipmakers such as Intel and AMD believe will provide a new revenue stream. Microsoft announced on Thursday that the show will feature PCs with a new AI button on the Windows keyboard.

“Consumers love ChatGPT, but the consumer benefit of having it on a device isn’t clear,” Jay Goldberg, CEO of D2D Advisory, said. That is why everyone will be talking about it – because everyone is vying for the consumer utility.