Home appliances that do things, cars that know your favorite café, and robot pets that aim to please are among the artificial intelligence-infused offerings at the Consumer Electronics Show, which opens on Tuesday.
All of them will compete for attention at the annual CES celebration in Las Vegas, as behind the scenes vendors look for ways to deal with tariffs threatened by US President-elect Donald Trump.
AI is once again a major theme of the show, with autonomous vehicles ranging from tractors and boats to lawn mowers and golf club trolleys.
South Korean consumer electronics giant LG kicked off a media day on Monday outlining its vision of “affective intelligence,” in which home appliances keep tabs on people — from tracking how well they sleep to making sure they To make sure they remember their umbrella when rain is forecast.
Chief Executive William Cho said, “At LG, we are seamlessly integrating AI into the physical living spaces around us.”
“We see space not just as a physical space but as an environment where holistic experiences come to life – across home, mobility, commercial and even virtual spaces.”
Even before the show floor opened, vendors enticed visitors with electric roller skates, life-size hologram booths for remote collaboration, and even a robot that looked like a lamp mounted on top of a walking table.
Most of the offerings claim to be advanced with AI.
“Everyone will talk about AI… whether it exists or not,” Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi told AFP.
After years of staying in the background, chip makers will be among the stars of the show as Nvidia and rivals talk about the processors powering the computing capabilities in a cornucopia of gadgets.
AI is running
CES will also be a massive auto show, with carmakers and companies supplying software and parts showcasing self-driving and automated safety capabilities.
“CES has been an auto show for quite some time now and if anything, it’s even more so this year,” said TechSponential analyst Avi Greengart.
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk’s close relationship with Trump is expected to ease regulatory speed bumps regarding autonomous vehicles.
Although still far from becoming part of everyday life, flying cars will be part of the CES scene, according to analyst Enderle.
“You should start looking at flying vehicles that you can buy,” Enderle said.
“Getting approval to fly them is a completely different matter.”
Robots designed to handle work tasks or become cozy companions – and even cute pets – are among the CES exhibits.
Gadgets that help calm the mind, beautify the body or get a good night’s sleep are on display as technology is penetrating every aspect of existence.
“Digital health is going to be huge,” Greengart said.
“We’re seeing a lot more technology being adopted or used to track your health markers.”
AI-enhanced technology will also enter homes, from a spice dispenser that “learns” the cook’s tastes to a robot swimming pool cleaner.
Tariff concerns?
According to analysts, the tariffs Trump has talked about will increase the cost of imported goods and that will likely be on the minds of CES attendees targeting the US market.
Analyst Enderle argued that a lot of the products on the show have imported components, and if Trump imposes tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico, it would mean higher prices.
“There will be a lot of worried sellers at CES,” Enderle said of tariff jitters.
According to Greengart, talks at CES will focus on how to overcome supply chain disruptions caused by tariffs.
“But a lot of the conversations will take place behind closed doors so as not to upset the incoming administration,” he said.
Chinese companies with a significant US presence, such as smart television rivals TCL and Hisense, are at CES.
But Greengart warned of “increasing market fragmentation between China and the rest of the world” due to trade frictions.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
