The Consumer Electronics Show is usually headlined by the presence of flashy cars, new PCs and TVs. However, the vast majority of attention this year is expected to be on something people can’t touch: artificial intelligence.

The annual confab comes after tech had a strong 2023 and the euphoria is likely to lead to companies showing “major advancements across the entire AI ecosystem,” Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives wrote on Friday.

“We believe AI will take center stage at CES as the most talked about topic as this AI led 4th Industrial Revolution is now on the doorstep for enterprises and consumers globally,” Ives wrote. “While in prior years there have been technology that was fringe (drones, robots doing dishes), this mainstream technology wave is unlike anything we have seen since the Internet in 1995.”

The AI Onslaught

Everyone and their mother will be throwing AI at this year’s CES, which brings together billionaires and non-billionaires alike to the bright lights of Las Vegas. But it will take a discerning attendee to figure out who is selling an idea and who is changing the world and it starts with the usual suspects.

The usual suspects will have a presence at the event, which brings together the glitz and glamor of Sin City. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), Intel (INTC), Dell (DELL) and many others will show off their latest wares with industry analysts, journalists and tech enthusiasts looking on with bated breath.

Nvidia, led by Jensen Huang, is expected to showcase several new GPUs at the event — the RTX 4080 Super, the 4070 Ti Super, and the 4070 Super —as it looks to maintain its lead in the space and keep companies on the cutting edge as their generative AI needs continue to mount.

AMD (AMD), which recently unveiled its own AI accelerator lineup to the world (to much enthusiasm), is also expected to have a presence and make several announcements.

Intel is likely to build off its recent AI announcements, with its time spent at CES focusing on bringing the technology to PCs, Ives said.

Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya expects to hear more focus on AI in PCs and smartphones.

Cars, Tech, and More

CES has become more of a car show in recent years and companies like BMW, Mercedes, Ford (F), Honda (HMC), GM (GM) and others are expected to have a large showing.

Ives said the usual announcements about infotainment updates, new automotive tech and new electric vehicles should make headlines, though the increased use of AI in cars is also likely to be a theme.

Advanced driving assistance systems and autonomous driving are likely to be on full display, including the continued push of Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving —where the cars can do most of the work themselves with no human effort — S&P Global senior analyst Brock Walquist said.

Walquist also said companies like Bosch are likely to show off the bringing together of entertainment and navigation systems and driver assistance functions “in a software-intensive central computer on a single [system-on-a-chip].”

The AI Revolution

Sleek new cars and tech gear may garner the attention of CES floor walkers, but at the end of the day, the theme of the event is still focused on two letters: AI.

More than half of all companies that Wedbush surveyed said they see more than 20 use cases for generative AI and more than 80% said they see 10 or more, including data analysis, marketing content creation, document editing/summarization and other ways to improve efficiency, Ives explained.

The introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT to the world in late 2022 has moved the technology from being a wallflower at the dance to one that garners all the attention, especially as companies see a way to both cut costs and generate revenue. This trend is likely to continue for some time, analysts believe.

“We believe companies will be executing and building off of this trend with CES a major launching pad to kick off 2024 as software, chip, and hardware tech players bet heavily on AI,” Ives said.