CES thoughts

A little late, but I’m finally reflecting on what I saw at CES 2024. First off, the ON_Discourse team crushed it by bringing so many brilliant people together to drive new perspectives. My head is racing from new ideas from the things I saw AND the people I saw them with.?

Here are a couple high level perspectives and observations I had from the week:

-The hype vs reality game. Every company is now an AI company.?

In terms of trends, there's a noticeable shift from labeling devices as "smart" to "AI-powered," with many products and brands adding AI to their names and marketing, often accompanied by slogans like “bespoke AI.” During an ON_Discourse floor tour, ON_Members discussed how although “AI” is currently the popular term for valuations, “smart” may actually be more consumer-friendly and representative of what people really want from their technology. Is this a brand/marketing trend? (Most likely)

-Gaming had nothing new to offer.

One might expect gaming to be a leading industry driving innovation, yet it appeared notably lackluster. The advancements in VR are underwhelming with bulky form factors, and the metaverse and virtual worlds don't seem ready for widespread adoption. I did see a lot of retro games on the floor though!

-Health care is wellness. And transformative consumer wellness tech is ready for game time.?

There was a tremendous amount of usable health and wellness tech ready to come to market. The general consensus at CES seemed positive towards tracking health and wellness data, including everyday vitals and more comprehensive, patient-led diagnostics. This move towards portable health tracking indicates changes in the health care system and experiences, yet raises several questions:

*Is an abundance of devices tracking specific health aspects really necessary? And do I want 5 devices?

*Can excessive health tracking lead to anxiety or even new mental health issues?

*What are the limits of health tracking devices? For instance, is an AI-enabled leash for monitoring a pet's bowel movements going too far?

*How should brands in this space handle risks? How trustworthy and accurate are the consumer devices? Will this lead to a dangerous self-diagnosing culture that doesn’t value professionals??

— Disconnected connected devices?

A surprising observation this year was the lack of interoperability among these new technologies. Despite the heavy investment in these innovations, there was a missed opportunity to showcase how different technological worlds could connect. Also, even from just a stunty activation standpoint, it was surprising not to see more cross-brand integration at the event.

-New user experiences and platforms

Currently, our digital interactions are primarily confined to three screens: the PC, phone, and TV, each with their own specific standard modes of user input. However, at the event, I witnessed numerous innovative methods for engagement and delivering value, like embedded transparent glass technology, along with groundbreaking input methods beyond voice and touch. Remarkably, there was technology that lets you use your brain as an input device. To be clear, this means you can control an interface simply by thinking about what you want to do.

These technologies open up new creative potential and new UX paradigms. They promise to be the foundational platforms of the future, spawning new app stores and digital environments. However, as is typical with cutting-edge technology in its early stages, there was a noticeable lack of use case l demonstrations.

Quick side note: with all this screen hype and innovation, why is the TV interface still just a grid of app icons??

-From personalization to anticipation?

I have been preaching for the past year that brands need to move from personalization to anticipation. If AI's future lies in predictive capabilities, CES 2024 showed little evidence of such advancements in action. (Which I think opens up some real opportunities for brands!)?

I can keep going because this year’s CES, more than any other in the two decades I’ve been attending, has given me a great deal to think about for the future. It’s clear things are changing faster than usual.?

Also, a big thank you to all the ON_Members who engaged in these discussions and shaped many of the perspectives shared here. I anticipate some differing opinions among them as they read through this.

I’d also like to extend a shout-out to the Code and Theory network and our clients. Their presence was felt everywhere, always accompanied by friendly smiles. And, as always, a huge thanks to Stagwell for their incredible support throughout the week. Their commitment to their agencies consistently stands out among the competition! Special thanks to Ryan Linder and Beth Lester Sidhu .

Lastly, thanks to DeShone Kizer for bringing his discourse A-game in general, and especially as the co-host of our Playing Business podcast live recording at CES featuring Michelle Wie West. (Episode out soon).?

Endless events on my schedule this year. Just landed in Davos, coming straight from Las Vegas! The conversations here are engaging, offering a familiar to CES yet different angle.