Photo/CES website

The 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is set to kick off in Las Vegas from January 9-12, 2024. The four-day event is expected to attract over 12,000 startups and 4,000 exhibitors from around the world, with a total attendance of approximately 130,000.

CES is the world's leading technology tradeshow, and it is often seen as a bellwether for the year ahead. In recent years, the show has featured a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, from advanced automotive infotainment systems to 4K and OLED TVs to electric scooters and new computer chips.

For CES 2024, Topsperity Securities predicts that AI will be a major theme, with companies showcasing new AI-powered products and services.

In particular, China Galaxy Securities analyst Wu Yanjing believes that CES 2024 will be a turning point for the AI PC market. He expects that new AI PC products will be well-received by consumers, and that 2024 will be the year that AI PCs begin to scale. As PC inventory levels continue to decline, AI PCs are poised for growth in both unit sales and average selling prices.

Highlight 1: AI PCs Take Center Stage

At this year's CES, Nvidia, the "shovel seller" of the AI era, will hold a special online presentation titled "NVIDIA CES 2024" at 8:00 AM PST on January 8. Nvidia's RTX 40 SUPER series of graphics cards is also expected to be released at the keynote address.

In addition, Nvidia will also deliver 14 on-site presentations during the show, covering a variety of hot topics and content, including generative AI, the metaverse, robots, smart cars, and game design.

Intel is expected to release the i9-14900KS flagship processor, the Core 14th Gen 65W desktop processor, and the Core 14th Gen HX series gaming laptop processor at CES this year.

According to Intel's website, Intel will demonstrate how Intel Core Ultra processors power the latest AI PCs to the public on January 8 at 2:00 PM PST.

It is clear that AI PCs should be Intel's focus at this exhibition. At the beginning of the AI era, Intel was once somewhat conservative, but it is currently stepping up its pace to catch up, trying to open up a new development direction through the concept of AI PCs. AI PCs are personal computers equipped with neural processing unit (NPU) chips. Similar to the way GPUs accelerate game graphics processing, NPUs can process AI tasks more efficiently and with lower power consumption.

Intel has previously stated that it hopes to bring AI technology to over 100 million PC devices by 2025. On December 14, 2023, Intel launched the Core Ultra, the next-generation processor for AI PCs, which is hailed as Intel's first key to opening the era of AI PCs. Intel is currently working with OEM manufacturers to accelerate the layout of AI PCs.

The HUAAN Securities' research group revealed to NBD that the launch of Intel's Core Ultra series of processors heralds new opportunities for AI PCs. With hardware-level AI support, the basic form of CPUs may change in the future.

Global technology market research firm IDC predicts that the proportion of new AI PCs (including AI laptops and AI desktops) in the Chinese PC market will rise rapidly in the coming years, reaching 85% by 2027, becoming the mainstream in the PC market.

It is expected that leading brands such as Lenovo, Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and MSI will also showcase AI PC products at CES 2024.

Highlight 2: CES Becomes the Largest Car Show

In addition to PCs, smart cars are also an important application scenario for AI. In recent years, CES has become a "showroom" for major car manufacturers.

According to a report by Investor's Business Daily, it is estimated that about 300 car and mobility companies will participate in the upcoming CES 2024, with a focus on electric vehicles, self-driving, advanced safety features, and in-car entertainment systems. Participating car manufacturers include BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, and VinFast Auto.

Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), said in an interview, "CES is now the world's largest car show. We have 500,000 square feet of space" dedicated to the display of car-related products.

Mercedes-Benz will showcase the CLA-Class concept car and the prototype of the electric version of the G-Class SUV, and will also release the latest generation of AI-powered MBUX human-machine interaction system. The system uses the Unity high-resolution game engine, which is said to bring the "Hey Mercedes" voice assistant into a "new" visual dimension.

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius pointed out, "Mercedes-Benz is using AI to provide 'human-like' interactions through the MBUX virtual assistant, thus reinventing the digital experience for passengers. It will synchronize with the user's driving style and emotions.

CES has long been a showcase for the latest consumer electronics, but in recent years, it has also become a major stage for the automotive industry. As AI continues to play an increasingly important role in cars, CES is likely to become even more important as a platform for car manufacturers to showcase their latest AI-powered technologies.

Highlight 3: Consumer Electronics Products Still Worth the Wait

As AI continues to develop rapidly, human lifestyles are also changing. The official CES press release states that AI will be at the core of applications such as healthcare, sustainability, and productivity. Shapiro revealed in an interview with a foreign media outlet that about 60% to 70% of CES exhibits are for consumers, with the rest for businesses.