What are the emerging technology trends at CES 2024?

This year the Consumer Electronics Show celebrates its 100th birthday in Las Vegas. CES was already a big conference, but in a sign that (for many) COVID is rapidly receding into collective memory this year’s edition is 15% bigger than in 2023.

There are 4,000 exhibitors (including 1,400 startups in Eureka Park) representing more than 50 countries and territories outside the USA. There are over 250 conference sessions and more than 1,000 speakers. The programme covers tech across automotive, mobility, smart home, gaming, robotics and much, much more.

It’s also my first experience of the event and I’ve been very lucky to be invited to the pre-show media days. So with my newbie eyes, these are the trends that jump out to me before the conference itself even starts!

In five words: Eureka, personalisation, sustainability, accessibility and GenZ.

Why is Eureka Park bigger than ever?

Here is further proof that in a hybrid/digital world people value facetime. Coming to Las Vegas isn’t cheap, yet over one third of the attendees are not US-based. The whole technology community is present and business gets done; it’s the presence of media, investors, partners, retailers, distributors that makes it attractive and possible for growth businesses to be present.?

The double-digital growth of CES also suggests that the economic conditions aren’t heavily impacting the technology market as much as we might have feared, otherwise these numbers simply wouldn’t be reality.?

Hopefully that confidence is carried forward and felt through investment and the talent markets.

Self-driving cars taking their cue from you.

Yes, AI… again, but here is something subtly different I hadn’t considered. Cars that learn how ‘you’ like to drive. Personalisation has long been crucial to retail, but now that extends to other user cases. We all sit as passengers in other peoples cars and silently judge (awful beings that we are) and self-driving cars won’t be immune to our judgment. It’s going to help find emotional notes that could be significant in growing consumer confidence.?

Personally I think it sounds awful (I haven’t driven for long and already have bad habits), and I can’t imagine insurance firms like the idea of garbage in, garbage out creeping onto the roads. It’s definitely a topic to ask the many automotive companies on show a little bit more about…

Acceleration in sustainability

2024 is the halfway point between the Paris Agreement in 2016, and meeting targets set for 2030. So what impact is it having?

In the USA there is $97 billion allocated for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as well as the Inflation Reduction Act, to achieve carbon free electricity by 2035 and a net-zero economy by 2050. That’s manifesting in alternative materials and experimental power sources. However, of the examples I’ve seen so far (Panasonic’s ‘Kinari’, a biodegradable plastic alternative), it's being used to build booths. So whilst it’s a trend and generating R&D, it’s not tackling the immediate challenges we’re facing in the climate crisis today.

In fact the talk around EVs has focused on the entertainment onboard and the experience, not a move towards ride-sharing or their benefits for society more broadly.?

Reaching new consumers fuels accessibility

There are AR goggles for the visually impaired, an app that describes the environment surrounding you and locates objects (again meeting the needs of visually impaired users), and beauty tech aimed at helping those with limited mobility apply make-up and lipstick. Three quick examples but there are many more.

Inclusion, wellness and accessibility is going to be a big trend, helping all consumers feel confident and able to live life as fully as possible.

The cynic in me understands that this is driven by a desire to put products within reach of new consumers, but who cares what drives that change if the change is good!

GenZ takes centre stage

Within the USA, GenZ is now a quarter of the population and only second to millennials as the largest cohort. Unsurprisingly GenZ are technophiles; the Consumer Technology Associate claims that many “find their identity” through technology products. The data solidifying this belief is based on GenZ splurging on technology which will only continue as the financial power of this emerging generation grows.

But my question is; are they happy with the situation? It is impossible to operate without a smartphone. We are forced to authenticate ourselves if we want to open emails, and navigating the modern world is significantly harder without digital tools.

If we’re suffering from too much exposure to tech, to always being on, is a mobile connected automotive what we really need? I imagine I’ll be a lone voice in this respect but how we use and embrace technology responsibly is a theme we shouldn’t push to one side in the name of progress.?

I’ll have to reflect on these themes and ideas once I’ve actually got out into the exhibition itself!