CES is still the biggest week of the year in tech. Every January, the show connects the world’s biggest tech companies, the next generation of startups chasing disruptive ideas, technology reporters and influencers, Major retailers are looking for products to fill their shelves, and tens of thousands of tech enthusiasts are scrambling to see what’s next.
While it won’t reach the heyday of a decade ago, this year’s show will feature exhibitors, international press, and an audience that looks a lot more like the pre-pandemic tech industry. There will also be many aspects of the show that will be streamed to a global audience — a welcome remainder from the pandemic-dominated shows of the past two years.
This year’s 2023 edition will be more like the flashy CES you’ve seen in countless news and internet videos over the past few decades.
However, there will be four big questions looming. Stay tuned for these topics as reports roll out this week.
1. Will the big tech companies give us more gimmicks?
At CES, big tech companies are known for showing off concepts no one will buy like 100-inch TVs, scrolling screens, goofy robots, and one-man helicopters that parade like flying cars. While stingy consumers hit hard by inflation can certainly indulge in some entertainment, it would be a welcome development at this year’s CES if the big tech companies do not rely on their old tricks but focus on useful innovations with more content.
2. Can anyone convince us to be interested in the metaverse?
Right now, the metaverse is like a lost puppy roaming around and sniffing everything. There are bound to be a lot of companies — from hardware manufacturers to NFT peddlers — looking for a place in the metaverse ecosystem, in case it doesn’t work out.
We’ve got our eyes on the next big launch of the HTC Vive on Thursday, January 5. Will HTC’s new headset make the metaverse more appealing? We shall see. Of course, Apple’s long-awaited headphones are due out in 2023, but Apple won’t be at the show and no one knows how long we’ll have to wait to see what they’ve put together.
The next version of the HTC Vive headset is expected to launch at CES 2023. HTC
3. Will artificial intelligence start automating useful things?
AI explodes in consumer awareness in 2022 with Lensa, Dall-E, ChatGPT and others. It astounds us with its ability to create human-like work, and it raises troubling ethical questions about intellectual property and fair attribution.
Those ethical concerns will only deepen in 2023. But AI’s bigger wins could come from how smarter AI and machine learning will connect the dots behind the scenes for automation streamline work and make life simpler. That’s where the most impact opportunities await, and we have to hope this year’s CES showcases some exciting projects and startups that can make people smarter and more productive.
Also: The CES 2023 technology I’m watching: Metaverse, the ER of the future, food technology, NFT
4. Will the best things come from unexpected places?
More than 3,000 companies will exhibit at CES 2023, and a third of them will be exhibiting for the first time. While the major TV vendors, PC companies and auto manufacturers will get a lot of attention, it’s the many startups and smaller entrepreneurs that have the most disruptive technology at the show. exhibition. In previous years, I’ve seen tiny startups whose technology was years ahead of big companies – including things that later appeared as features in mainstream products. .
The bottom line is that the most innovative stuff at CES 2023 will likely come from companies you’ve never heard of. ZDNET is on a mission to find them. So wait a moment.
You can watch our short video summarizing the four big themes of CES 2023 as Short YouTube (embedded below), Scroll Instagramor above TikTok.
