Tag: Gary Shapiro

CES 2026 Recap: AI, Robots and Streamers

LAS VEGAS — CES 2026 concluded its annual four-day run Jan. 9 with the biggest buzz around practical uses of AI, the emergence of life-like robots, and streaming.

Streaming, in fact, was on everyone’s tongue, particularly in the branded “C-Space” consisting of the Aria, Vdara and Cosmopolitan hotels.

There, representatives from virtually every major streamer crowded the halls, bars, restaurants and suites, resulting in long lines at the elevators (particularly at Aria) and several takeovers, including Netflix’s occupation of the Easy’s Cocktail Lounge speakeasy at the Aria and Xumo’s immersive, branded event space called “The Xumo Experience” on the ground floor of the Vdara. There, Xumo and Lionsgate announced a new multiyear content deal that makes Xumo Play, Google TV Freeplay and Xumo-branded FAST channels the exclusive streaming home for select Lionsgate films during their Pay-1 windows.

Also holed up at C-Space were executives with Amazon Prime Video, Disney Advertising Sales, Xperi, and NBCUniversal Media (parent of Peacock), along with Meta, Reddit, Roku and X.

Xperi’s TiVo division announced new features for its home screen user interface that enable advertisers to better reach consumers across the TV screen. The new feature aims to provide advertisers with easier monetization opportunities on smart-TV screens, including full-screen video advertisements and shoppable QR codes.

Nearby, at the Dolby Live theater at the Park MGM, Dolby Laboratories and NBCUniversal announced Peacock will be the first streaming platform to embrace Dolby’s full suite of advanced picture and sound innovations. The partnership will see a gradual rollout of both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision — an advanced high dynamic range (HDR) video technology that enhances picture quality by optimizing brightness, contrast, and color on a scene-by-scene or even frame-by-frame basis using dynamic metadata — to Peacock’s portfolio of movies, original productions, and live sports and events.

At the Tech Trends to Watch presentation on the Sunday before the show opened, Melissa Harrison, VP of marketing and communications for CES producer the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), called out “the rise of ad-supported streaming” as a primary driver in a projected 4.2% uptick for 2026 in consumer spending on software and services.

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And on opening day, Jan. 6, the OTT.X breakfast at the Stirling Club, across the street from the Las Vegas Convention Center, featured a presentation of Parks Associates’ annual State of Streaming report as well as several presentations focused on the burgeoning advertising market in ad-supported streaming. Speakers included Pieter de Zwart, director of advertising engineering for Amazon Ads, and Paul Claussen, director of strategic partnerships and business development at Comcast Technology Solutions.

Television technology, as it does every year, commanded the spotlight in the central hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Very evident this year across the show floor was the rise of Micro RGB display technology: an evolution of LED backlighting that uses individually controlled red, green and blue LEDs as the light source instead of standard white or blue LEDs filtered into colors. The result: significantly deeper color accuracy and brightness than traditional LED models.

What the CTA maintains is the “largest post-pandemic CES” welcomed more than 148,000 attendees from around the world, 55,000 of them from outside the United States. More than 55% of CES attendees were senior-level executives. The show also had more than 4,100 exhibitors across upwards of 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, including some 1,200 startups.

“CES is the world’s most powerful proving ground for innovation,” said Gary Shapiro, executive chair and CEO of the CTA. “CES is more than a showcase; it’s where technology meets community, business, and policy. Global leaders, startups, and policymakers came together to highlight technologies that will define the next decade of economic growth and competitiveness.”

“The energy at CES 2026 was extraordinary,” said Kinsey Fabrizio, president of the CTA. “CES brings the global tech ecosystem together for an unmatched volume of deal-making, partnerships, and idea-sharing. The innovation unveiled this week spanning AI, quantum, mobility, robotics, health, and so much more, underscores CES as the global stage where bold ideas move from vision to reality.”

 

CES 2026 Opens in Las Vegas With All Eyes on AI’s Real-World Impact and Deployment

LAS VEGAS — CES 2026 officially opens Tuesday (Jan. 6) at a time when AI is no longer a shiny new toy, but, rather, an integrated — and integral — part of every day life.

This year the world’s largest technology show will present AI not as a trend, but as a foundational technology that is revolutionizing industries by becoming embedded in everything from TVs, autonomous vehicles and advanced robotics to energy management and personalized healthcare. Even more so than at last year’s show, the focus has shifted from hype to real-world deployment, with keynotes, new product launches, and dedicated zones such as the “CES Foundry” highlighting AI’s pervasive deployment.

“CES is where innovators show up, and this year AI is at the center of nearly every conversation,” Gary Shapiro, executive chair and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), owner and producer of CES, told Media Play News. “From the show floor to the keynote stage, leaders from across industries are demonstrating how these innovations move into the real world and how together we solve the world’s biggest challenges.”

Independently audited data for last year’s show, CES 2025, revealed a total of 142,465 participants from across the globe. This year, Shapiro said, “all signs point to a phenomenal CES, with thousands of exhibitors, a record 3,600+ Innovation Award submissions, and innovation across 13 venues and 2.6 million net square feet.”

New this year is the CES Foundry, located at Fontainebleau Las Vegas and aimed at uniting innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, government officials, and media to explore how AI and quantum technologies are defining the next era of innovation.

“This year, AI is accelerating innovation across every sector,” Shapiro said. “CES Foundry will serve as a hub for the innovators leading that charge, and I’m looking forward to the ideas that will emerge.”

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The CES Foundry will feature two stages, the Breakthrough Stage and the Discovery Stage. Programming will alternate between the two, including panel discussions, fireside chats, and thought-leader conversations featuring influential voices in technology.

Entertainment hasn’t been in the CES spotlight since the heyday of DVD and Blu-ray Disc, but the rise of streaming — and the growth in ad-supported models — hasn’t gone unnoticed. At the Jan. 4 Tech Trends to Watch presentation, Melissa Harrison, VP of marketing and communications for CES producer the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), called out “the rise of ad-supported streaming” as a primary driver in a projected 4.2% uptick for 2026 in consumer spending on software and services.

Accordingly, the cluster of streamers and their enablers typically holed up at the Aria-Cosmopolitan-Vdara complex in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip includes Amazon Prime Video, Disney Advertising Sales, Netflix, Xumo, and NBCUniversal Media (parent of Peacock), along with Meta, Reddit, Roku and X.

Netflix’s presence isn’t as showy as it was two years ago, when it took out a massive booth on the CES 2024 show floor for an immersive activation to promote the series “3 Body Problem.” But the top streamer promises a raft of private meetings, many of them centered around its pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets. Netflix is also focusing on emerging technologies such as AI, gaming and metaverse experiences, leveraging its recent acquisition of avatar AI technology company Ready Player Me.

CES 2026 will also feature more than 350 conference sessions and over 1,300 speakers. Sessions will focus on the pervasive integration of AI and robotics across various industries. Other major topics include digital health, advanced mobility, smart homes, energy, and the creator economy.

Keynote addresses at CES 2026 will be delivered by such high-powered business executives as Dr. Lisa Su, chair and CEO of AMD; Siemens president and CEO Dr. Roland Busch; Havas CEO and chairman and Vivendi chairman Yannick Bollor; Lenovo chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang; and Caterpillar CEO Joe Creed.

In addition, an assortment of celebrity guests will participate in conference programming, sponsored sessions and special events throughout the show. Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian will participate in the Great Minds session “Back to the Future: Tech’s Nostalgic Revolution.” Hank Shocklee, a member of the hip hop group Public Enemy, will speak on an “Innovation for All” panel. RZA (Bobby Diggs), rapper, producer, actor, filmmaker and leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, will speak on the panel “From Concept to Reality: Creatives Using AI to Bring Big Ideas to Life.” And Serena Williams, entrepreneur and 23-time Grand Slam champion, will speak on the “Insights to Action: The Power of Biowearables” panel.

Policymakers from across the world will discuss domestic and global tech policy issues including privacy, trade, competition, and more. More than 200 international, federal, state and local government officials and staff participate in the Leaders in Technology Program and attend the Innovation Policy Summit (IPS) at CES.

Exhibits in the Las Vegas Convention Center are, as usual, grouped by industry segment. The LVCC Central Hall will showcase the latest innovations in home entertainment and living. This is where the big CE companies set up their massive booths to showcase the latest innovations in televisions. The Central Hall is also home of the CES Creator Stage.

Exhibits in the North Hall focus on smart communities, IoT, AI and robotics. The South Hall is home to accessories and gadgets. And the West Hall is devoted to mobility, from self-driving cars to construction, agriculture, boating and advanced air travel.

The C Space at the Aria, Cosmopolitan and Vdara hotels is where top brands, advertisers, media platforms, and content creators meet to forge deals, explore trends and unveil the latest technologies.

The Venetian is home to smart living, including digital health, smart home, energy management, security, education, lifestyle and food tech. The Venetian is also home to the CES Innovation Awards Showcase.

And Eureka Park at The Venetian is CES 2026’s Startup Hub, with global pavilions and emerging companies from the United States, the European Innovation Council (EIC), France, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, Japan, Netherlands, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and others.

 

CES 2025 Officially Opens With Focus on Practical Rather Than Theoretical AI Applications

LAS VEGAS — CES 2025 officially opened Jan. 7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in the throes of an ambitious remodel, and various other nearby venues.

The concourse on opening day was its usual sea of people, while the big buzz on the show floor was AI’s move from the theoretical to the practical — in everything from massive TVs to smart home tools and healthcare.

As usual, the show floor is dominated by massive exhibits from such big consumer electronics mainstays as Samsung, Sony, Hisense, TCL, Panasonic and Toshiba.

Samsung’s booth, as usual one of the biggest, delivered on the theme of “AI for All” with displays for smart homes, smart healthcare and even an AI-powered management system for ships called SmartThings. TVs, however, were conspicuously absent, except for a big display of art TVs, dubbed The Frame, which use ambient light sensors to make a static screen display of paintings and photographs look like real art when the TV is not in use.

Samsung trumpeted its impressive slate of smart TVs two days before the show opened at a press conference that saw the unveiling of Samsung Vision AI, a new intuitive technology that will be implemented across all Samsung AI-powered screens and devices, including newly introduced models Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K and OLED models.

Other CE companies didn’t shy away from using the show floor to flaunt their latest smart sets and Laser projection TVs.

Hisense — with a booth theme of “AI Your Life” — showed off its gargantuan 136-inch MicroLED TV as well as its 116-inch TriChroma LED TV, which the company says is the only consumer model to use RGB Local Dimming Technology, which offers unparalleled color precision, vibrancy, and efficiency.

TCL exhibited its new line of QM6K TVs, featuring TCL’s enhanced QD-Mini LED system and powered by its new Halo Control Technology Suite of hardware and processing advancements. Also at the TCL booth was the 115-inch TCL QM7K Mini-LED TV, which the company says is the world’s largest.

Also new on the TV front were LG Electronics’ LG G5 OLED TV, which the company says is 40% brighter than last year’s G4, and a 55-inch OLED set by a company called Displace TV that gets stuck to the wall using suction cups.

Hosted by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES 2025 runs through Jan. 10.

 “We’re thrilled to dive into CES 2025, which will show innovations that improve the lives of millions of people, create new jobs, and catalyze global economic growth,” said Gary Shapiro, CEO and vice chair of the CTA. “CES is where the future begins. It’s where business gets done, partnerships are forged, deals are struck, and world-changing ideas take center stage.”

In addition to the show floor, CES 2025 features more than 300 conference sessions with top tracks and stages such as CES Creator Space, Digital Health Summit, Great Minds, Innovation Policy Summit, and Research Summit.

And streamers, as usual, have taken over much of the convention space at the Aria, mostly for meeting rooms and activations.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino Joins Keynote Speaker Slate at CES 2025

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has announced that Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X Corp., will be a keynote speaker at CES 2025.

Linda Yaccarino

Yaccarino will join Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist Catherine Herridge in a keynote conversation on Jan. 7 at 1:30 p.m. in the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian.

Yaccarino is making waves as CEO of X Corp., the Bastrop, Texas-headquartered tech firm established by Elon Musk in 2023 as the successor to Twitter Inc. The company owns the social networking service X (formerly Twitter), and has announced its intent to use it as a base for other offerings.

“X is the global newsroom in your pocket,” Yaccarino said. “It’s the only real place for free dialogue between everyone — the public and the powerful.”

“Linda’s career exemplifies the spirit of CES — innovation, resilience, and vision,” said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the CTA. “Her leadership and contributions to the media and tech world makes her uniquely suited to inspire and challenge our audience to think boldly about the future.”

Herridge will interview Yaccarino. Herridge, formerly with CBS News, is an independent journalist with a growing audience of more than 850,000 on X.  The keynote will be streamed on Live.CES.Tech, X, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. 

CES 2024 Opens in Las Vegas With Traditional ‘Wow’ Factor and AI Everything

LAS VEGAS — CES 2024 officially opened Jan. 9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and early indications are that the show is back to its pre-pandemic size and scope.

The concourse was packed an hour before the show floor opened at 10 a.m., and walking through Central Hall that morning was a lot like moving through Times Square on a Friday night — except there was even more neon and flash.

Big consumer electronics mainstays such as Sony, Panasonic and Samsung battled it out with relative newcomers such as Hisense and TCL for the vaunted show floor “wow” factor, with the former touting its AI-enabled line of massive television sets and the latter capitalizing on its NFL partnership by bringing in such football legends as Bo Jackson and Brian Bosworth to sign autographs and snap photos with guests.

As expected, the big buzz this year is around AI — not so much to replace the human touch but to embellish it.

The Consumer Technology Association, which produces CES, said there are more than 4,000 exhibitors and expects more than 130,000 attendees, a significant jump from last year. Exhibitors this year, according to the CTA, including a record number of startups in Eureka Park, a dedicated area for breakthrough technology.

“At CES 2024, we’re thrilled to bring together exhibitors, attendees and media to display and dream up the technology of tomorrow, and the innovations that are solving today’s greatest challenges,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the CTA. “CES is where business and policy converge.”

During the CTA’s State of the Industry Address on the morning of Jan. 9, Shapiro recognized the 100th anniversary of CTA and underscored the importance of technology that can enhance human capabilities to address issues such as access to clean air and water, food, healthcare, and technology.

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CES Media Days on Jan. 7 and 8 at Mandalay Bay featured 23 press conferences, including presentations by Hyundai, Hisense and the UHD Alliance. CES Unveiled Las Vegas, a preview of the products launching at CES 2024, featured technology from 180 companies ranging from Palmplug’s Theraplay virtual reality game, which helps rehabilitate stroke patients, to Xpeng AEROHT’s flying car.

“Unveiled Las Vegas is such a great way to kick off CES each year and to get a sneak peek into some of the early trends at the show, and it was no surprise to see AI everywhere amid diverse offerings across accessibility, digital health, food tech, mobility and smart home,” said Kinsey Fabrizio, CTA’s SVP of CES and membership.

CTA’s director of thematic programs, Brian Comiskey, and director of research, Jessica Boothe, presented 2024’s Top Tech Trends to Watch. This year’s presentations showcased how AI, sustainability and inclusive tech design will advance tomorrow’s technologies such as mobility, digital health, content, gaming and agrifood tech. Underpinning these trends and evolution in the industry is the rise of Gen Z as a sizable and influential segment, especially in emerging market nations where they’re rapidly connecting to the internet to shape worldwide trends. In turn, innovation in both the consumer and the enterprise will advance to a more intelligent, greener, and more inclusive tomorrow.

In addition to more than 250 conference sessions and the Innovation Policy Summit for global policymakers, CTA on Jan. 9 launched the Consumer Technology Circularity Initiative (CTCI), a voluntary industry initiative to reduce waste, encourage more reuse, enhance recycling, reduce climate impact, and see less disposal of consumer electronics. Founding partners include Lenovo, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony Electronics Inc.

CES 2023 Opens Today in Las Vegas Amid Speculation on How Big the Show Will Be

LAS VEGAS — CES 2023 opens today (Jan. 5) at the Las Vegas Convention Center amid much speculation as to what final attendance figures will be, given the fact that this is the first show in three years to be relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 event was held virtually, and last year’s CES came amid a winter COVID surge that saw the show scaled back by one day and impose mandatory mask and social-distancing restrictions. Attendance numbered just over 45,000 people, compared to 170,000 for the 2020 show, while the number of exhibitors fell by more than half the record high of 4,400 set in January 2020, prompting the closure of the South Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

This year, CES has no restrictions of any kind, and before the show’s opening the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which produces the annual event, said the show’s footprint will be 50% bigger than the January 2022 CES. The CTA said there would be at least 2,400 exhibitors, 1,000 of them newcomers, and set an attendee goal of 100,000.

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In late November, CTA president and CEO Gary Shapiro in a statement said he’s “thrilled with the show’s momentum.”

Over the next four days, we’ll see how it all plays out.

For the first time ever, CES has a theme: how technology is addressing the world’s biggest challenges. The show’s legacy consumer electronics focus has long ago taken a back seat to mobile tech, health tech and smart homes, while home entertainment — remember the days when most of the talk was about the latest DVD players and 3D Blu-ray devices? — is limited to a handful of streamers and dozens of service providers that hope to do business with them.   

According to the CTA, the automotive sector is bigger than ever, making CES one of the largest auto shows in the world, with nearly 300 exhibitors in West Hall. Global launches and keynotes from BMW and Stellantis lead into exhibits featuring the latest in self-driving tech, electric vehicles and personal mobility devices for land, air and sea.

Digital health also remains big, with exhibitors showcasing advancements in digital therapeutics, mental wellness, women’s health tech and telemedicine. CTA’s Digital Health Studio, presented by The American College of Emergency Physicians, is presenting the latest in technology for diagnostic and treatment functions as well as the importance of remote connectivity for accessible healthcare. Key exhibitors include Abbott, LOTTE Healthcare, MedWand Solutions and Omron Healthcare. 

On the sustainability front, global brands such as John Deere, LG, Samsung and Siemens are showing how innovation can conserve energy and increase power generation, create more sustainable agricultural systems, power smart cities, and support access to clean water. 

And for the first time, CES 2023 has a dedicated Metaverse area on the show floor. Exhibitors are showcasing groundbreaking sensory technology building immersive, interactive digital worlds. A Web3 Studio, produced by CoinDesk, is the focal point of the Web3, Metaverse and Blockchain area at CES.

The CTA also announced that in partnership with the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, it is supporting the global campaign Human Security for All (HS4A). The HS4A campaign serves to cultivate collaboration and innovation across all industries, all countries, to improve the human experience.

“CES is the world’s most exciting technology event, from startups in Eureka Park to global brands on the main stages. We are thrilled to spotlight thousands of innovative companies at this year’s show,” said Shapiro. “Tech advances are helping to solve the world’s greatest challenges, and CES 2023 will set the agenda for the year ahead.” 

CTA: Consumer Electronics, Tech Revenue to Remain Above Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2023

Domestic spending on consumer electronics and related technology is projected to reach $485 billion in 2023, according to analysis from the Consumer Technology Association. While the tally is below the record $512 billion consumers spent in 2021 at the height of the pandemic, it remains $50 billion above pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Spending categories include consumer electronics, gaming, video and audio streaming apps, automotive technology, fitness and health devices, among others.

Gary Shapiro

“The technology industry is a deflationary force in the global economy,” Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CTA, said in a statement ahead of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “The constantly evolving nature of technology leads industries to find newer, more-efficient ways to drive commerce. CES has become the destination for innovators who are making business more efficient and improving our quality of life in industries like agriculture, transportation, health and so many more.”

The trade group has lowered sales projections for laptops, LCD TVs, tablets, smartphones and video game consoles, while the OLED TV is expected to see sales increases (up $2.3 billion) as manufacturers push the enhanced products. As previously reported, portable game consoles should see a 41% uptick in consumer spending to $1.5 billion, from $1.06 billion.

Shapiro contends lawmakers in Washington, D.C., can help American entrepreneurs by advocating for a proactive and pro-innovation approach to trade.

“We need to eliminate tariffs that amount to taxes on U.S. businesses, and spur exports by striking new trade deals with our friends and allies,” he said.

Gary Shapiro: Five Takeaways From CES 2022

CES 2022 was unlike any show we’ve hosted in our 55-year history. 

As we prepared our return to Las Vegas for the first in-person CES in two years, we could feel the momentum and excitement building in the consumer tech community. Hundreds of companies signed on to exhibit, even after the emergence of the Omicron variant around Thanksgiving. We were confident in the strong health protocols we’d put in place, including a vaccination requirement announced in the summer of 2021, masking requirements and free Abbott BiNAX Now rapid tests that would be made available to attendees.

Gary Shapiro

Months of planning by CTA staff and consultants meant that we were ready to put on a show, but we couldn’t be certain our guests would arrive. A few big-brand companies withdrew from in-person participation, but many more reached out to tell us just how much they wanted the show to go forward.

Thousands of companies rely on CES to pitch new, innovative and life-changing technologies. After an all-digital show in 2021, this was an opportunity for them to make connections and build the relationships that are so critical to business success.

We also listened to President Biden’s Dec. 21 call for schools and businesses to remain open — with precautions in place — which seemed a strong message that business should continue. That encouragement, along with advice from various expert consultants, supported our decision to move ahead with an in-person show.

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Opening day demonstrated the strong excitement and desire by so many to convene again in person. More than 2,300 exhibitors showcased incredible innovation on the show floor, joined by over 40,000 industry executives and thought leaders. We knew this year’s CES would be messy, and it was no surprise to see some gaps on the show floor. But by the time we wrapped on Friday, it was clear that even a smaller show punched well above its weight.

Here are my key takeaways from CES 2022:

People Have Different Views on Pandemic Precautions

This statement won’t come as a surprise to anyone, but we watched it play out in real time as we organized CES 2022. We lost some exhibitors over the summer when we announced our vaccine requirement, though several executives thanked me for pushing their CES-loving employees to get vaccinated. We lost some attendees in December over health and safety concerns surrounding the Omicron variant, especially those from the worst-hit coastal cities and COVID-cautious countries. Given the uncertainty of the pandemic throughout our planning process, we decided to meet people where they were by investing further in our digital event for those who could not, or chose not to, travel to Las Vegas. That decision paid dividends in our enhanced capacity to capture content and make it available to attendees virtually both during and after the event.

 

Companies Rely on CES — Especially Startups, Small and Mid-Size Companies

I wasn’t completely sure what to expect at CES, but I was shocked by the nearly universal excitement and enthusiasm. I did not receive one complaint during the show, and the 100+ exhibitors I spoke to all expressed their gratitude for our decision to go forward with CES. Many small and mid-sized companies use CES to connect with customers, partners, investors and media. While our attendee numbers were down, exhibitors reported the quality of participants, especially CXOs and international, was strong. In fact, the decision by some big companies to withdraw from the show created new opportunities to shine for many of our startups and small companies.

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As an executive from one large multinational corporation put it, “this was the show of small and medium-sized companies.” Another executive from a smaller company emphasized the important role CES plays for innovators trying to “break-into the industry.”

 

International Attendees and Media Flocked to CES

This was perhaps my biggest surprise. Over 14,000 international visitors came to CES 2022, along with over 600 members of the international media. I am not sure the U.S. has had any event in the last two years with this type of showing. Those are some 14,000 people who were willing to undergo extra testing and challenging travel requirements because they recognized that CES presents such a unique opportunity. As one international participant put it, “CES 2022: inspiring. We had all been more or less hesitant to come to Vegas despite the pandemic. … I issued and canceled several plane tickets before flying. In the end, we were rewarded. [CES 2022 was the] edition that will serve as a reference for other world events in the coming months.”

 

We Need Leadership and Real Life Experiences

I heard from executives of companies big and small thanking me for taking a stand. They recognize the importance of getting back to in-person interactions where relationships can be fostered, investments made and new products discovered. While I’ll be the first to praise the tech companies who made virtual meetings and workplace collaboration possible in the early stages of the pandemic, it can’t replace the value and importance of face-to-face conversations.

Ultimately, COVID will be with us for some time, and we have to find ways to live with that reality. Several CEOs made precisely that point to me in commending CTA on our leadership in hosting an in-person CES. As one wrote to me, “It is not easy making the decisions you are making and I wanted to lend my support. You are taking all the right measures to ensure everyone’s safety as best as you can to greatly reduce risk. … For what it’s worth, I personally believe that if we don’t start moving to some level of what it was like, we will be doing damage that can’t be measured in charts and graphs.”

Leadership requires taking a stand and our stand resonated with many business executives across multiple industries.

 

Innovation is Blossoming and Changing the World

Since our last gathering in Las Vegas in 2020 the world has changed, and tech has evolved along with it — especially in areas like health care, mobility, food and entertainment. The pandemic accelerated many existing trends, pushing us towards telehealth services and streaming and increased reliance on artificial intelligence. We’ve seen breakthroughs in robotics, delivery, and the virtual reality. In the home entertainment sector alone, CES 2022 introduced new trends in audio, such as Noveto’s “invisible headphones” that beam audio directly into your ears; video and display, such as Sony’s Bravia Cam that optimizes TV picture quality and brightness; and virtual and artificial reality tech that can bring live events and sports to the metaverse and into homes via smartphones and VR headsets.

Despite our time apart, innovation has not stopped. Instead, it appears to have sped up, spurred by entrepreneurs from around the globe who have committed their expertise and know-how to solving some of the world’s biggest challenges. After walking the show floor this year, I’m more optimistic than ever in the capacity of innovation and technology to change millions of lives for the better.

I can’t wait for CES 2023 — and hope to see you there!

Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the trade group that produces the annual CES.

CES 2022 Opens as Scaled-Down, Shorter Event

LAS VEGAS — CES 2022 officially opens on Jan. 5 with a smaller footprint and a shorter run, three days instead of the usual four.

The culprit: The surge in COVID-19 cases, which the week before Christmas saw 42 exhibitors opt for a virtual rather than a physical presence, including such heavyweights as Amazon, AT&T, Google, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Meta (Facebook) and T-Mobile. 

Speaking on the eve of the show on the Fox Business Network’s “The Claman Countdown,” CTA CEO and president Gary Shapiro provided an update on the exhibitor count, which after a record high of 4,400 in January 2020 was expected to fall by more than half, prompting the closure of the South Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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“I’m pleased to share with you now the new number, which is actually an expanded number,” Shapiro said. “A few weeks ago we were saying 1,700, now we’re over 2,300 exhibitors. They keep signing up; we’ve had lots in November and lots in December. And why is that? Because this is one place a lot of companies rely on each year to get their message out and they really didn’t have that in 2021. You know, there’s been a huge amount of investment in startups lately.”

Shapiro said he and his team decided to proceed with the physical show because “companies rely on it. Last night we had our CES Unveiled, [with] hundreds of startups out there and other companies. And I was overwhelmed by the number of people just thanking me. Saying, look — with tears in their eyes — we wait for this all year. Please go forward.

“Plus we heard from the countries that are sending people and companies for the first time from Eastern Europe, from Asia. Korea has a record number of startups coming, France has a huge number, Netherlands has a record, Italy has a record. All over the world, they’re coming, converging on Las Vegas in a reasonably safe way to see what they could do for the year because that’s what innovation is about.

“Now, this show will be a little messy, we know that. But innovation is messy.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is the show’s increasing focus on technology and innovation instead of its legacy consumer electronics. This shift was affirmed in November 2015 when organizers changed their name to the Consumer Technology Association from the Consumer Electronics Association. 

During the CTA’s 2022 Tech Trends to Watch presentation, one of two media-only events held prior to the show’s opening, CTA VP of research Steve Koenig said the big trends to watch, and the focus of this year’s CES, are transportation (from electric vehicles to micro-mobility); space tech; sustainable technology; and digital health.

Similarly, among the new products on display at CES Unveiled, the annual media preview held right after the tech trends presentation on Jan. 3, were a smart mirror from Baracoda Daily Health that includes personal health data and makeup tutorials; the Megane X virtual reality, from Panasonic subsidiary Shiftall, for metaverse experiences; the VTOL Platform drone from VETAL, with 4G and 5G capability; and a home urine test kit from Vivoo that provides users with personalized nutrition and lifestyle advice.

Speaking on the Fox Business Network, Shapiro noted, “We’re seeing lots of new things and new categories created almost overnight. … In space, we’ve seen some tremendous developments. We’ll see a space plane — it’s a big part of the show — as well as food technology. The metaverse is, obviously, huge.

“There’s over 100 health-related technology exhibitors. And we have the automobile areas — one of the biggest footprints we’ve ever had. Smart homes, robotics, you name it.”

In addition to the two Jan. 3 media-only events, the first CES 2022 keynote was delivered by top Samsung executive Jong-Hee Han, vice chairman, CEO and head of Samsung Electronics’ DX (Device eXperience) Division.

Held under the theme, “Together for Tomorrow,” the keynote showcased sustainability efforts and demonstrated customized and connected experiences Samsung says can enrich people’s lives.

Last week, CTA announced the show will close one day early, “as an additional safety measure to the current  health protocols that have been put in place for CES.”

Those protocols include requiring all attendees to be fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO), and to provide proof of their vaccination status prior to picking up their badges. 

In addition, masks are required at all indoor CES events, including the show floor, and on shuttle buses. The CTA has “safety ambassadors” stationed throughout the exhibit floor, handing out masks to those who may need one.

In addition, the CTA is encouraging all attendees to take a COVID test prior to arriving in Las Vegas. The CTA is distributing complimentary Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Self Test kits, provided by Abbott, to each attendee upon retrieving their badge. The CTA also will provide testing for those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms while at a CES venue, and will distribute free RT-PCR tests for attendees who are traveling back to their international destination and who require a test to travel. 

CES Diary, Day 2: Preparations Move Ahead for CES 2022

LAS VEGAS — It was a hectic Tuesday here in Las Vegas, where the pace of preparing for a downsized CES 2022 picked up as the day wore on.

Walking around the Las Vegas Convention Center just before 5 p.m., it seemed as though a dress rehearsal for the show was going on. Parking attendants, shuttle bus drivers and security personnel were all at their stations, and even the traditional hot dog and barbecue food trucks were positioned in place, in that L-shaped plaza outside the main show entrance between the North and Central Halls.

Show signage also was up, including a huge vertical billboard — the physical world’s answer to website “skyscraper” ads, you might say — from Roku, proclaiming itself “America’s #1 streaming platform in the U.S.”

Indicative of the show’s increasing tilt toward digital health, just a few feet in front of the Roku banner was one for Abbott, touting its sensor technology, “helping 3.5 million people with diabetes live with greater confidence & freedom.”

It almost seemed a little nostalgic to see two huge building wraps for Sony and Samsung, two consumer electronics heavyweights who have maintained their highly visible CES presence for years and years.

At each entrance, safety protocols are clearly explained, and prominently displayed. Badges must be picked up before entering any of the buildings, and to pick up your badge you need to show proof of your vaccine status. Visitors also are advised that they need to wear face masks, and encouraged to social distance, wash their hands frequently and stay the hell out of Dodge — my words — if they feel sick.

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As for me, after working away during the morning, returning emails and phone calls and jotting down some thoughts for our big 25th anniversary of digital entertainment project later this year, I spent the afternoon writing up news releases pertaining to CES 2022 that bombarded my inbox.

(Actually, now that my memory is cleared after a delicious meal at the Sahara’s marquee restaurant, the Noodle Den, that was editor in chief Stephanie Prange and senior news editor Erik Gruenwedel. But I kept up with what they were posting on my iPhone while on a six-mile hike at Red Rock Canyon.)

I can certainly see Gary Shapiro’s point when he says the show must go on. Shapiro, of course, is the CEO and president of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), producer of CES — and he’s come under fire for allowing the show to proceed despite the surge in COVID-19 cases and fears, by some, that CES could become a super-spreader event.

Speaking yesterday afternoon on the Fox Business Network’s “The Claman Countdown,” he talked of the show’s critically important role in furthering technology and innovation, particularly among startups.

But he also addressed the symbolic importance of CES 2022 proceeding, insisting that he and his team have done everything in their power to keep everyone safe.

“We’ve done everything we’re supposed to,” he said. “We’ve relied on medical experts. We were the first big event to say everyone must be vaccinated. … Now, let me tell you. … Millions of people go to sporting events around the United States every week. They’re not required to be vaccinated. They’re not required to be masked. And they certainly don’t test. So we’re doing all three of those. … We’ve also taken all sorts of other safety protocols, from limiting seats in conference rooms, requiring social distancing, new types of ventilation, much, much wider aisles — one-way aisles, often. So we’ve done everything we possibly can.”

He added, “Look, it’s time to get back to normal. … It’s important that business stay and continue the course and we go forward. We have to stop staying in our homes and start living again.”

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