3 things we’re watching at CES 2024

With 130,000 attendees expected this year, tech’s biggest trade show is fully back after some pandemic-era cancellations and flux.

Big Tech companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft will have a presence at CES this year, and keynotes include Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, and Walmart CEO Doug McMillon.

Tech Brew is on the ground at the event, and we’ll be paying attention to a few key topics set to play a big role in this year’s show:

• AI all the time: Advances in generative AI have come to captivate every facet of the tech industry in the past year, and exhibitors at this year’s CES are no exception. While some big names like OpenAI will be notably absent, the tech will still be ubiquitous in everything from semiconductors to smart-home devices and vehicle tech. We’ll be focused on how large language models will fit into CES’s gadget-heavy lineup, whether that’s integrating into digital assistant hubs or talking to you while you’re driving.
• EV and AV growing pains: The growing electrification of cars and the emergence of autonomous driving have made automotive tech one of the biggest draws of CES in recent years. But this year’s show comes amid uncertain demand for EVs and a rough few months for GM-owned Cruise that reflect bigger problems in the AV sector. Against that backdrop, expect companies to show off new innovations designed to make batteries more efficient and reduce so-called range anxiety, the expansion of autonomous and EV tech beyond consumer cars, and ways that tech can transform the in-car experience.
• Chips galore: Between a new generation of AI and the race to create the headset that might usher in widespread use of augmented reality, there’s plenty of demand for chips that can handle these specialized uses. Expect news from companies like Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung, and AMD as they vie to power these new technologies.