AI, connectivity set to take center stage at CES
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Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) 4K TVs are on display at LG Electronics’ booth during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 this January in Las Vegas. For CES 2018, the company will raise awareness of its AI-focused ThinQ brand identity. / Courtesy of LG Electronics
By Lee Min-hyung
Artificial intelligence (AI) and connectivity are set to make a big splash at the world’s largest tech tradeshow, the Consumer Electronics Show (2018) in Las Vegas next month.
Last year, more than 180,000 visitors across the globe visited the resort city of the United States to discuss the up-to-date tech trends encompassing electronics and other emerging tech areas, including the fifth-generation (5G) network, AI and internet of things (IoT).
Under the catch phrase “connected devices connecting everything,” however, this year’s CES will be more about AI combined with hardware and software platforms from the world’s leading tech giants.
For an opening keynote, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich will deliver his speech regarding the infinite possibilities of the data-driven tech era. To be specific, he is expected to share his insights on big data-led tech revolutions in areas such as 5G network communication and driverless vehicles.
In Korea, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics also plan to go all-out to showcase their latest achievements in hardware devices combined with their AI platforms.
LG Electronics has particularly made public its plans to promote its deep learning-driven AI brand, ThinQ, at the upcoming tech fair.
The move comes as it aims to differentiate itself from other rivals by enhancing its AI expertise, with LG opening its first-ever AI lab this June. The company has since released a series of AI-powered robotics devices, including a voice-recognizing airport guide robot.
As part of its efforts to enhance the ThinQ brand identity, the company will establish a booth dedicated to promoting how the platform operates when connected with other LG consumer electronics.
“At CES 2018, LG Electronics will do its utmost to raise awareness of the new brand, as AI is the next big thing to bring a paradigm shift in the conventional electronics industry,” a company official said.
The global electronics industry is in a fierce competition to raise brand identities dedicated to AI.
LG’s home-turf rival, Samsung Electronics, also launched Bixby 2.0 at its developers’ conference in October, boosting its plan to connect all home appliances with the AI voice assistant.
For the past few years, Samsung has hyped up its plans to connect everything via the AI platform.
Last month, the company launched its AI-driven research unit, Samsung Research, in Seoul, speeding up its drive to expand its hardware leadership into the software sector. The tech giant has recently taken over a Seoul-based startup, Fluenty, holding expertise in natural learning and big data technologies.
Kim Hyun-suk, president at Samsung Electronics’ consumer electronics division, also underlined the importance of AI in a recent Samsung Research launch event here.
Under the vision of “shape the future with innovation and intelligence,” he called on employees and executives to have a sense of innovative research spirits to develop a more powerful and delicate AI platform that can be embedded in not just mobile, but all other electronics devices, such as TVs, refrigerators and air conditioners.
As the chief of Samsung’s consumer electronics unit, Kim will also join the CES, sharing corporate visions on smart homes and AI.
With the CES expanding its coverage from conventional electronic devices to vehicles, a group of the world’s leading carmakers will promote their state-of-the-art technologies at the upcoming tech show. Connectivity will also become a keyword for the car industry as well.
Hyundai Motor, the nation’s leading carmaker, plans to unveil the world’s first voice-recognizing cockpit prototype at the CES, along with other technologies to lead the upcoming driverless vehicle era.