AI will be in spotlight at the Consumer Electronics Show 2024, with glasses for the blind, shoes that make you walk faster and more on show

The annual tech industry fair known as the Consumer Electronics Show is regaining momentum after the Covid-19 pandemic, with artificial intelligence (AI) infusing everything from bicycles to baby bottles.

The gadget extravaganza, referred to as CES, formally kicks off on January 9 in Las Vegas, with more than 3,500 exhibitors and some 130,000 visitors expected. CES exhibitor and attendee numbers have jumped each year since the pandemic caused it to be an online-only event in 2021.

“After Covid some people thought they were not going back,” says Carolina Milanesi, an analyst for consumer tech research company Creative Strategies.

“But, smaller companies that don’t have the brand power to get attention they deserve at their own events are deciding to be part of the conversation at CES.”

Analysts expect it to be the year of AI when it comes to product pitches at CES.

“I do not suggest anyone create a game at CES to take a drink any time someone says AI, because you will be drunk before CES even starts,” Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart quips.

“There is little doubt that the tech ecosystem gathering in Las Vegas will focus on AI everywhere and on-device generative AI,” says Forrester principal analyst Thomas Husson.

“The biggest theme will be about how AI can power new invisible and immersive consumer experiences.”

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Innovations on display at CES will include technology-packed glasses for the blind from Lumen that let wearers know where it is safe to walk, even avoiding puddles, according to the start-up.

Meanwhile, Shift Robotics will let people try out its latest Moonwalkers shoes that let people walk at a running pace without breaking a sweat.

AI will be featured in homes, sound systems, cars, televisions, baby bottles, beds and more, according to pitches sent out by exhibitors.

“There is going to be a lot of AI and AI-washing similar to the green washing we saw a few years ago,” Milanesi says, noting that not all products will deliver.

Eye-popping televisions from LG and others will be on display, along with automotive innovations such as cars and the technology built into them.

“CES has become an automotive show,” Greengart says. “Cars have become rolling software platforms, or consumer electronics with wheels, and you can be sure there are going to be a lot of announcements.”

Chip makers including Intel will spotlight their latest semiconductors designed to handle complex computing tasks.

Nvidia plans a special address at CES on January 8 focusing on consumer technologies and robotics.

Nvidia chips are in hot demand by companies looking to power generative AI.

Greengart expects health to be among the big CES themes, with sensors built into mirrors, wearables and more to measure vital signs.

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L’Oreal chief executive Nicolas Hieronimus will be among the CES keynote speakers for the first time, joining peers from Walmart, Qualcomm and Siemens on the show roster.

Snap co-founder and chief Evan Spiegel will take part in a panel discussion on brand loyalty.

With the recent release of Meta’s Quest 3 virtual reality headset and with Apple expected to hit the market early this year with its Vision Pro, a lot of small companies at CES are expected to show off gear to compete in the “spatial computing” and mixed-reality market.

Sustainability promises to be a more meaningful trend at CES than in the past as more companies adopt practices such as environmentally friendly packaging and using recycled materials in products and rechargeable batteries, according to analysts.

“Some of the sustainability gains are starting to get real,” Greengart says.