(By Buzz Knight) It’s CES Week and keeping with a heartfelt tradition, my pal Fred Jacobs and I were able to ask Gary Shapiro, President of the Consumer Technology Association, for a CES 2024 primer on what attendees can expect from one of the greatest shows on the planet.
Buzz Knight: Who are some of the big first-time exhibitors this year at the show?
Gary Shapiro: “CES 2024 will showcase many new areas of innovation and companies exhibiting for the first time. With 4000-plus exhibitors, the show floor will expand by more than 10% over CES 2023, with double-digit growth in key areas like automotive and mobility, digital health, robotics, smart home and more.”
“CES 2024 will feature top brands exhibiting for the first time, including EssilorLuxottica, Fandom, Kroger Precision Marketing, Kubota, Madhive, Midea, Nexstar Media Group, Noom, Paramount, Purdue, Pyxis, Recaro, ResMed, Supernal, the US Navy and more.”
“Walmart is on the show floor for the first time with a 7,000 net square foot outdoor exhibit. VIZIO is also a first timer, First time on the show floor (had meeting space in prior years). They will bring their VIZIO Bus. L’Oréal will give a first-time beauty keynote.”
“And not a first time, but a notable return: Netflix is back on the show floor for the first time since 2018. They’ll have a large activation in gaming/AR.”
Buzz Knight: You talk about the show and the beauty of “serendipity” when it comes to discovering innovation in action at the event. Describe what that’s all about.
Gary Shapiro: “I love tech, and CES 2023 showed us that nothing can replace the real-life joy of physical togetherness or serendipitous discovery of a shared interest or business possibility.”
Buzz Knight: Is there one keynote in particular you’re looking forward to?
Gary Shapiro: “The keynote stage will feature industry pioneers from global markets including beauty, retail, finance and technology sharing their vision for the future of innovation. I’m excited to see the themes that emerge from the keynotes and to see what runs through all of them – beyond AI!”
Buzz Knight: Speaking of, what are the AI sub-topics that will emerge from the show?
Gary Shapiro: “While generative AI has generated recent headlines, the AI ecosystem ranges from chips to robots. AI tech innovation is touching every industry, powered by advances in the silicon and sensors that serve as the ‘brain’ for AI and data infrastructure, which packages the information for AI systems.”
“With $154 billion in global spending on AI-centric systems in 2023, an increase of 27% from 2022, we can expect more innovation in the years ahead. At CES 2024, we’ll see technology that integrates AI into the products and services we use every day, and powering the devices and systems we rely on.”
Buzz Knight: What new at Eureka Park and C-Space?
Gary Shapiro: “Eureka Park has more than 1,200 exhibitors this year and C Space expands into Cosmopolitan, with more than 100 exhibitors.”
Buzz Knight: How will we see Digital Health grow this year at the show?
Gary Shapiro: “Breakthroughs in medical and health care technology are making us healthier and longer lived. The result is measurable: a baby born today is likely to live well into its 70s, twice the average lifespan of a baby born in the early 1900s. These technologies are delivering on the promise of innovation to solve some of the world’s biggest and most intractable challenges. Thanks to incredible innovations, we can envision endless possibilities to improve lives.”
“For example, first time exhibitors EssilorLuxottica will move beyond their Meta Ray-Bans and we’ll see convergence – hearing aids and glasses in one sleek package.”
Buzz Knight: What new can we expect to emerge from the automotive category?
Gary Shapiro: “The automotive sector will be bigger than ever at CES 2024, it’s one of the largest global auto shows with more than 250 exhibitors across an expanded West Hall, North Hall, Central Plaza, and the outdoor Diamond Lot. This year’s showing represents more than a 60% increase in automotive/mobility tech exhibits from CES 2020, representing huge growth in the automotive presence at CES.”
“Innovation will focus on concept cars, connected vehicles and autonomous mobility.”
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Follow Radio Ink‘s daily headlines and @RadioInkMagazine on Instagram for updates from the show floor.
Buzz Knight can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. Read Buzz’ Radio Ink archives here.
