[Paek Jongmin's Deep Tech] Beyond Consumer Electronics, CES at 60 Evolves into an Architect of Future Industries

CTA Chair Fabrizio: "Identifying Future Technologies Through In-House Market Research and Industry Trend Analysis"
Expanding Exhibition Space for Emerging Technologies to Connect Companies and Investors and Spur Industry Growth
Expanding the Next-Ge

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world's largest information technology (IT) and consumer electronics exhibition, is evolving beyond an event for introducing new products into a platform for identifying and nurturing future industries. CES 2027, which marks the event's 60th anniversary next year, will expand its scope beyond artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to include quantum technology, the space industry, and brain-computer interfaces (BCI).

CTA Chairman Kinsey Fabrizio speaks with Marcello Lusuardi, CEO of Robert Bosch Korea, during a press conference in Seoul on the 14th. Photo by Paek Jongmin, Tech Specialist.

As countless exhibitions have emerged and disappeared, CES's success in transcending the limits of consumer electronics and establishing itself as a global advanced-technology exhibition is surely not due simply to its being held in the United States.

At a press conference held at COEX in Seoul on October 14, Fabrizio Kinsey, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), responded to a question from The Asia Business Daily about CES's strategy for identifying future technologies. "When small trends start to emerge in the technology industry, we pay attention to them and help them grow," he said. He added, "We had been observing this kind of trend in AI for several years, and it later grew explosively."

According to him, CES identifies future technologies in three main ways. First, it tracks emerging technology trends on the exhibition floor. It also analyzes the technology policies and investment strategies of governments around the world.

Kinsey said, "As we see countries investing in quantum technology, we determine that we need to provide related companies with a space at CES to showcase their technologies."

Quantum technology has emerged as a major topic at CES since last year. During an investor event held by Nvidia during CES 2025, CEO Jensen Huang said it could take about 20 years for practical quantum computers to arrive, prompting a sharp drop in the share prices of quantum computing companies. The episode showed how significantly forecasts about future technologies can affect the market.

The CTA also draws on its own research capabilities to analyze future trends. It operates a dedicated market research team that analyzes changes in the technology industry and consumer demand. It uses not only data accumulated at CES but also survey results from attendees and members of the media. This helps the organization gauge industry interest and market demand for new technologies, and assess their future growth potential.

On October 14, the CTA released the results of a survey on AI use conducted among 425 South Korean consumers in July. The results showed that 70% of respondents used AI for work, while 47% used it every day. Respondents saved an average of 8.2 hours of work per week by using AI. South Korea and the United States were the only countries surveyed in which every respondent who used AI for work said it was useful. The findings show how the CTA uses its own research and statistics to analyze the pace of technology adoption and its impact on industry.

This foundation also allows future technologies that are still at an early stage to emerge as new topics at CES. Melissa Harrison, CTA vice president, said, "At CES 2027, a startup called Sabi is scheduled to introduce BCI technology using a hat-shaped device," describing it as groundbreaking technology.

A CTA vice president speaks during a press conference in Seoul on the 14th. Photo: CTA

The CTA also expects the prospect of operating data centers in space to be discussed at CES next year. The exhibition provides a platform for exploring the industrial potential of technologies that are not yet ready for commercialization. Space technology is another field in which CES has identified early-stage trends and expanded its exhibition scope.

The CTA has grouped the technology trends at CES 2027 into three categories: the "foundations" of innovation, including semiconductors, data, and energy; the "transformation" of industries, including physical AI, mobility, and healthcare; and the "exploration" of the future, including quantum technology, space, and BCI.

This strategy is also reflected in the reorganization of the CES 2027 exhibition floor. CES Foundry, a dedicated space for AI and quantum technology that debuted at CES 2026, will operate for three days next year, one day longer than before. A space for companies specializing in agentic AI will also be added. The Venetian Expo will introduce Health Hub, a new area dedicated to medical and health technologies. Healthcare, a field that CES has long highlighted, will receive an even greater focus.

Robotics and advanced manufacturing will also take up a larger share of the exhibition. Hall 3 of the South Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) will become a new hub for advanced manufacturing, robotics, and automation technologies.

Harrison said, "If the North Hall shows what intelligent machines can do, the South Hall will show how machines are made." South Korea's Manufacturing AX (M.AX) Alliance will also set up a humanoid exhibition area in the South Hall to showcase related technologies.

Changes among global companies participating in CES as it marks its 60th anniversary are also drawing attention.

At CES 2027, ride-hailing company Uber will set up a booth on the exhibition floor for the first time, while automaker Ford will return for the first time since 2020. AI chipmaker AMD will create an experiential space in the Central Plaza for the first time. Napster, known as a music service, will also present a new business direction. Taiwanese semiconductor company MediaTek and smart-glasses company Snap will also exhibit.

Cadence, a semiconductor design software company, will move beyond its traditional focus on meeting rooms and set up an exhibition space in the West Hall. Voice AI company ElevenLabs will move from CES Foundry to the North Hall. As emerging technology companies move into the main exhibition halls, the industry landscape at CES is also changing.

South Korean companies will also take part. Harrison named Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, LG Electronics, Kia, Hyundai Mobis, Kolmar Korea, Maum AI, Mobilint, bHaptics, Ceragem, and Wirobotics among the companies expected to participate in CES 2027.

Kinsey stressed, "It would be nice to have a crystal ball to look into the future, but this is the strategy we are using now." This is the context behind CES's evolution from an exhibition showcasing current technology into a platform that points the way toward future industries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.