Product launches across a record-breaking
show floor and keynotes from Ford and Huawei open world’s largest
global tech event
The future of innovation debuted yesterday on opening day of
CES® 2018 featuring technologies from more than 3,900 companies,
including some 900 startups, that will change the lives of citizens
around the world. Global brands took to the CES stage to make major
company announcements, with keynotes from the leaders of Ford and
Huawei, as well as C Space Storyteller sessions featuring
executives from Facebook, IBM and TBWA Worldwide. Owned and
produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, CES 2018
runs through Friday, January 12, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Keynotes
CES 2018 kicked off Tuesday morning with CTA’s State of the
Industry keynote where Gary Shapiro, CTA president and CEO and
Karen Chupka, senior vice president of CES and corporate business
strategy shared the stage. Chupka addressed the global impact of
CES, “[It] touches every sector of the global economy – from
healthcare and education to manufacturing and smart cities,” said
Chupka. She also highlighted new and growing areas of CES 2018 such
as: The CES Sports Zone, Design and Source, Artificial
Intelligence, high tech retailing, Eureka Park and the growing
automotive footprint.
Shapiro followed, addressing the increasing importance of tech.
“The technologies on display across the CES show floor this week
are solving big, global challenges. Technology connects us with
each other. It makes us more engaged as citizens. It makes us
healthier and it saves lives.” He noted that technology raises
everyone up across social and economic divides and highlighted
CTA’s forecast that the U.S. consumer tech industry will grow
almost 4 percent this year to a record-breaking $351 billion in
retail revenues. Shapiro closed by announcing CTA’s first-ever
International Scorecard, ranking the best countries for innovation,
congratulating 13 Innovation Champions for creating an environment
that allows innovation to thrive.
Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett then took the stage for the
opening keynote to share his bold outlook for Ford. Hackett
idealized “the living street” and touted a human-centered course
forward when it comes to smartening our cities. “It’s not about
cities getting smarter, it’s about humans having a better day,” he
said. Hackett’s vision focuses efforts on creating a reliable
future of transportation through a systems-based approach for the
people of rising smart cities. Hackett was joined on stage by top
influencers in transportation and other Ford executives, including
Marcy Klevorn, president of mobility, to highlight the company’s
road to the future. Ford also introduced its new Transformation
Mobility Cloud, an open platform, is designed to simplify the flow
of data in support of transportation systems from vehicles and
bicycles to mass transit.
Huawei took the CES keynote stage Tuesday afternoon to announce
the availability of its Mate10 Pro smartphone in the American
market next month. Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group
outlined the capabilities of the unlocked, $799 flagship phone
including an AI-powered Kirin processor; larger battery capacity;
dual camera system; high speed and security; fast charge and a 6”
full view OLED HDR display. Huawei also announced a Porsche Design
version of the Mate10 that will have premium features. “Our newest
consumer solution, the HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro, is the smartphone that
U.S. consumers need and deserve,” said Yu. Mr. Yu also unveiled the
Huawei WiFi Q2 Series, a home wi-fi system, promising a reliable
signal throughout your house, and introduced “Wonder Woman” actress
Gal Gadot as their first Chief Experience Officer.
SuperSessions and Conferences
Opening day featured dynamic conference programming, including
SuperSessions, the C Space Storytellers series, Innovation Policy
Summit, Digital Money Forum and the Sports Technology Innovation
series.
SuperSessions
During the Insights from the FTC SuperSession, CTA’s
Shapiro sat down with FTC Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen for a
wide-ranging discussion covering everything from open internet, to
privacy, data security, botnets and antitrust. Ohlhausen reinforced
the FTC’s overarching commitment to “promote competition and
protect consumers,” and her personal commitment to practice
“regulatory humility.”
Ohlhausen applauded the work of CTA, Congress, President Trump
and others enabling over-the-counter hearing aids to be sold at
retail. Regarding botnets and data security, Ohlhausen said, “It’s
a shared obligation of industry, of law enforcement, of government
to take the right steps and put the right frameworks in place to
help stop these kinds of problems.”
The Future of News SuperSession, moderated by Brent
Weinsten, head of Digital Media, United Talent Agency, covered
topics ranging from the presence of bias in media and the “fake
news” phenomenon to the role of anonymous sources and where the
burden lies for curating consumption. Sara Fischer, media reporter,
Axios, explained the innovative approach Axios has implemented in
order to combat the dilemma faced by many media organizations –
keeping an audience happy without sacrificing hard news. Axios
“serves consumers where they want, but not what they want” by
bringing their valued, fact-based journalism to new mediums.
Panelists ended the session stressing the imperative need for media
organizations to adapt to new technologies and new formulas.
“What’s happening here is honestly the most important CE topic
we’ve ever brought to CES,” moderator and CNET Editor-at-Large
Brian Cooley said as he kicked off the Next Big Thing: The
Invisible Doctor SuperSession. The panel examined how the
digital health industry will take data from our lives and integrate
it into personalized care. From tele-doctors to apps that monitor
heartrate, doctor visits and health updates will soon be done from
the confines of your living room. Dr. Ian Tong, Chief Medical
Officer at Doctor On Demand, emphasized the importance of keeping
the doctor-patient relationship, but allowing technology to
streamline access to healthcare, which has become an overly complex
process.
C Space Storytellers
Tuesday’s C Space Storyteller sessions kicked off with
Facebook’s Vice President of Product, Fidji Simo and actress, Kerry
Washington, as they took the stage to discuss Facebook’s new
platform: Facebook Watch. Launched in September 2017, Facebook
Watch allows users to view custom content, live events and more.
“Facebook’s goal is to bring content and community together,” said
Simo. Washington spoke about her production company’s partnership
with Facebook to create Five Points, a scripted drama-series to
premiere on the platform. Washington said, “Social media is such a
great democratizer because it allows you to cut out the middle man
and directly engage with your community.” Facebook also announced
its focus on tackling social justice and diversity issues in a
meaningful way through original content posted to Facebook
Watch.
Disruptive technologies are presenting massive opportunities for
advertisers and industry experts to deliver content to consumers
and audiences around the globe. During the C Space Storytellers
session, TBWA Worldwide CEO Troy Ruhanen sat down with Teresa Herd,
vice president and global creative director of Intel, to discuss
technology’s impact on B2B messaging and advertising. New
technology drives innovative solutions, but also creates fear of
the unknown among consumers. To combat this, Intel and TBWA are
humanizing technology through humor, empathy and relatability in
their advertising content. Intel is building, designing and
creating the future, while advertising agencies such as TBWA are
turning fear into excitement. Part of building acceptance and
excitement around 21st century technology is to create positive
stories about the ways tech will impact our lives.
Nicholas Thompson, editor in chief of Wired, joined IBM
executives to discuss how AI is shaping businesses and the
technology industry at large. IBM is currently using data and AI
capabilities to analyze events, predict behavior and program
complex machines. For instance, during the 2017 US Open Tennis
Championships, IBM launched Watson Media, a program which analyzed
players and footage in real time to deliver cognitive highlights
post-game. IBM is leveraging advancements in data and AI technology
to solve a myriad of problems.
In an age of big data and innovative technologies, marketers can
understand the customer experience better than ever before.
Moderated by The Economist’s Kenneth Cukier, Chief Marketing
Officers (CMOs) from Deloitte, Turner, MasterCard and Panasonic sat
on the C Space Storytellers stage to discuss the role big data
plays in marketing. New technologies allow marketers to deliver a
better consumer experience, leverage data from campaigns and
understand how content is being consumed. The ability to use data
for the benefit of the consumer is incredible because it allows
marketers to develop relationships with loyal customers. “An
overarching theme of this panel involved data, establishing rapport
with consumers and gaining brand loyalty.
Innovation Policy
Tuesday’s session Administration’s Approach to Innovation and
Tech Policy was a fireside chat between CTA’s SVP of Government
Affairs Michael Petricone and Deputy Assistant to the President
Michael Kratsios as they ran down the White House Office of Science
and Technology’s ambitious agenda. More specifically, Kratsios
touched on how the government can best serve rural Americans with
tools to succeed in the 21st Century – pointing to President
Trump’s rural broadband announcement yesterday – and removing
regulatory hurdles for emerging technologies. “We need to push
government to have more sense of urgency” said Kratsios. The OSTP
leader gave nods to the FAA and DOT for delivering on aggressive
timelines to allow emerging technologies to succeed.
During the Future of Work for both Humans and Machines,
Bridget Karlin, CTO and VP, IBM Global Technology Services noted,
“This is about man plus machine. Not man versus machine.” Moderated
by CTA’s VP of Government and Political Affairs Tiffany Moore and
including Ned Finkle, VP of External Affairs, NVIDIA and Evelyn
Remaley, Deputy Associate Administrator, NTIA the session
focused on the challenges and opportunities surrounding AI and
machine learning. “We’re in a transitional period and the pace of
the transition can make people nervous. But good employment can
happen if policymakers can lean in,” said Finkle.
During the 2018 Preview: FCC Commissioner Roundtable,
moderated by CTA’s VP of Regulatory Affairs Julie Kearney, FCC
Commissioners Brendan Carr, Mignon Clyburn, and Mike O’Rielly
shared their respective opinions on net neutrality, the future of
the Telecom Act, and other regulatory reforms in the coming year.
The three represented widely different policy views across the
spectrum. Despite the clear and sharp disagreements among the
Commissioners, Clyburn noted that at the end of the day “we want to
see what’s best for the country, providing the best platform for
innovation and tech that is open for business.”
Digital Money Forum
Tuesday’s Digital Money Forum’s panel, A Robot Worth Talking
To, featured Sophia, a robot capable of making realistic, human
facial expressions, and focused on how AI bots like Sophia can
impact digital money. The robot, created by Hanson Robotics, spoke
about blockchain technology and how AI can influence the world of
cryptocurrency. Afterwards, David Hanson, Sophia's creator and
Hanson Robotics CEO, spoke with MIT Media Lab's Michael Casey about
how Sophia can use state-of-the-art algorithms and machine learning
to respond to any question an interviewer may have.
The Leaders in Digital Money panel focused on digital
wallets, which are becoming a seamless consumer experience,
eliminating the need to carry cash, checks – or even credit cards.
Leaders from Payscout, IBM Blockchain Labs and Clinc discussed the
future of payments, including the use of virtual reality payments
in digital storefronts and conversational AI, which can be used for
setting up bank accounts.
Sports Technology
Innovation
During the panel Making Better Decisions with Sports
Tech, Jessica Gelman, CEO of the Kraft Analytics Group, noted
that the sports industry is at the precipice of leveraging
technology and data to get better across all aspects of the
business - but the industry is still “in the very early days.” To
explore the intersection of technology and sports, Sports
Innovation Lab CEO and Co-Founder Angela Ruggiero says her
team is objectively looking at the market across five key
areas: the quantified athlete, smart venues, immersive viewing,
sponsorships and e-sports.
Tuesday also featured Exploring Smart Buildings and Connected
Infrastructure, which discussed advancements in smart city
planning. “Intelligent buildings are here and they are very real,”
said Charlie Kindel, Director, Alexa Smart Home, Amazon, summing up
the first day of Smart Cities programming at CES 2018. Senior
executives from Amazon, Deloitte Consulting, Zigbee Alliance,
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Philips Lighting and Schneider
Electric discussed how smart buildings are changing the way we live
and what the future holds for sustainability, enhanced experiences
and new connections. Smart buildings and smart spaces are now
everywhere, allowing for a connected ecosystem with no
boundaries.
Day one of CES 2018 concluded with the Women in CT Awards,
hosted by CTA. Six recipients were honored for transforming the
consumer technology industry through leadership in the retail,
sales and marketing, integration, publishing and trade association
segments. Honorees included: HP’s Stephanie Dismore, InMotion
Entertainment Group’s Eden Goldberg, Milestone AV’s Bonnie Perella
and Southtown Audio Video’s Heather Sidorowicz. The Woman to Watch
Award recipient was System Contractor News editor Megan Dutta, and
the Carol Campbell Inspiration Award honor was given to CTA’s Ellen
Savage.
CES 2018 runs through Friday, January 12. For the latest
breaking news and product announcements, visit CES.tech.
* * *
Take a look at three new areas at CES 2018.
High-definition video b-roll from CES is available for easy
download on CESbroll.com. See exclusive photos from
the CES show floor, keynotes, conference sessions, events and award
ceremonies in the CES photo gallery.
Produced by the Consumer Technology Association,
Inside CES 2018 – Trends and Takeaways provides a
complete overview of the entirety of CES, including exclusive CTA
research and trend analysis not available anywhere else.
Ensure you understand the most important trends impacting the
tech industry in the year ahead. Learn more and order your
copy today.
About CES:
CES® is the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the
business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving
ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50
years-the global stage where next-generation innovations are
introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its
kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. Owned and produced
by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, it attracts the
world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers. Check out CES
video highlights. Follow CES online at CES.tech and on social.
About Consumer Technology Association:
Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™ is the trade association
representing the $351 billion U.S. consumer technology industry,
which supports more than 15 million U.S. jobs. More than 2,200
companies – 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others
are among the world’s best known brands – enjoy the benefits of CTA
membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical
education, industry promotion, standards development and the
fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns
and produces CES® – the world’s gathering place for all who thrive
on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are
reinvested into CTA’s industry services.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- CES 2018 -
RegisterJanuary 9-12, Las Vegas, NV
- CES Asia 2018June 13-15,
Shanghai, China
- Digital Patriots DinnerApril 17,
Washington, DC
- CES on the HillApril 18,
Washington, DC
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180110006355/en/
Consumer Technology Association (CTA)Allison Fried,
703-907-7603afried@CTA.techwww.CTA.techorJustin
Siraj,
703-907-7415jsiraj@CTA.techwww.CES.tech