CES 2023 preview: 4 big questions that will shape the week

CES stays the largest week of the yr in tech. Each January, the present connects the world’s greatest tech firms, the subsequent era of startups chasing disruptive concepts, tech reporters and influencers, large field retailers on the lookout for merchandise to fill their cabinets, and tens of hundreds of tech fans attempting to get a glimpse of what is subsequent. 

Additionally: CES 2023 tech you can actually buy now

Whereas it will not attain the heyday of a decade in the past, this yr’s present could have exhibitors, the worldwide press, and attendee numbers that look much more just like the pre-pandemic tech business. There can even be numerous elements of the present that will likely be live-streamed to a worldwide viewers — a welcome remnant from the pandemic-dominated reveals of the previous two years.

This yr’s 2023 model will look much more just like the flashy CES you’ve got seen in numerous information studies and web movies over the previous couple many years. 

However, there will likely be 4 large questions that loom giant. Regulate these themes as studies roll on this week.

1. Will the large tech firms give us greater than gimmicks?

At CES, large tech firms are infamous for exhibiting off ideas nobody will ever purchase resembling 100-inch TVs, roll-up shows, foolish robots, and single-rider helicopters parading as flying vehicles. Whereas stingy customers hit arduous by inflation might actually use some leisure, it might be a welcome improvement at this yr’s CES if the large tech firms did not depend on their outdated parlor tips however put the highlight on helpful improvements with extra substance.

2. Can anybody persuade us to care concerning the metaverse?

Proper now, the metaverse is rather a lot like a misplaced pet wandering round and smelling the whole lot. There are certain to be quite a lot of firms — from {hardware} makers to NFT peddlers — angling for a spot within the metaverse ecosystem, simply in case it does pan out.

We have got our eye on Thursday, January 5 for HTC Vive’s subsequent large unveil. Will HTC’s new headset make the metaverse extra interesting? We’ll see. Apple’s long-expected headset looms giant over 2023, in fact, however Apple will not be on the present and nobody is aware of how lengthy we’ll have to attend to see what they’ve put collectively.

3. Will AI begin to automate helpful issues?

AI burst into the buyer consciousness in 2022 with Lensa, Dall-E, ChatGPT and different instruments. It wowed us with its capabilities to supply human-like work and it raised troubling moral questions on mental property and honest attribution.

These moral considerations will solely deepen in 2023. However AI’s larger wins are prone to come from the best way smarter AI and machine studying are going to attach the dots behind the scenes to automate work and make life easier. That is the place quite a lot of most impactful alternatives await and we’ve got to hope this yr’s CES will floor some thrilling tasks and startups that may make people smarter and extra environment friendly.

Additionally: CES 2023 tech I’m watching: Metaverse, ER of the future, food tech, NFTs

4. Will the very best stuff come from sudden locations?

Over 3,000 firms will likely be exhibiting at CES 2023 and a 3rd of them are coming to the present for the primary time. Whereas the large TV distributors, PC firms, and automakers will hog numerous the highlight, it is most of the smaller startups and entrepreneurs who could have probably the most disruptive tech on the present. In years previous, I’ve seen tiny startups with tech years forward of the large firms – together with stuff that later confirmed up as options in mainstream merchandise.

The underside line is that probably the most revolutionary stuff at CES 2023 will possible come from firms you’ve got by no means heard of. ZDNET is on a mission to seek out them. So keep tuned.

You possibly can watch our brief video summing the 4 large themes of CES 2023 as a YouTube Short (embedded under), Instagram Reel, or on TikTok.