Artificial intelligence dominates Las Vegas tech show CES

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Technology/Innovations

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. attendee / ə tɛnˈdi / (n.) – a person who is present at a particular event or gathering
    Example:

    Mary was excited to be an attendee at the annual technology conference.


  2. crowd / kraʊd / (v.) – to gather closely together in a large group
    Example:

    Fans are expected to crowd the concert venue.


  3. signage / ˈsaɪ nɪdʒ / (n.) – a system of signs used to convey information, direction, or advertising
    Example:

    The shopping mall had clear and informative signage directing visitors to various stores and facilities.


  4. showcase / ˈʃoʊˌkeɪs / (v.) – to display or exhibit something prominently to highlight its features, qualities, or achievements
    Example:

    The company decided to showcase its latest product at the trade show to attract potential customers and generate interest in its brand.


  5. swathe / swɒð / (n.) – a long strip or wide area of something, often referring to a large extent or quantity
    Example:

    The park was covered in a swathe of colorful flowers, creating a beautiful scene.


Article

Read the text below.

Artificial intelligence was set to dominate the annual Las Vegas technology show CES, with more than 130,000 attendees expected to crowd convention center halls when doors opened on January 9.


CES – formerly the Consumer Electronics Show – is held annually in Las Vegas every January. And just days before the Las Vegas Convention Center doors opened on January 9, workers were busily preparing booths, signage and more, for what’s billed as one of the biggest technology shows in the world.


Erica Johnson from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) says more than 130,000 attendees were expected to crowd over two million square feet of meeting space.


“CES is the most important technology trade show in the world, and CES is also really significant to the Las Vegas convention industry as well. And that’s in both size of the footprint of the show and how much space it comprises, but also the number of attendees that it draws,” she says.


Organizers, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), said almost 118,000 people attended last year’s gathering. But that was while lingering pandemic restrictions prevented some visitors attending, particularly from Asia.


After a 2023 dominated by artificial intelligence chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, AI is expected to be a top CES trend, with machine learning headed to a wide array of consumer electronics, from lighting to cooking grills.


“This is going to be the CES of artificial intelligence, whatever that means,” says technology expert and analyst Andrea Nepori. “Because we’ve seen that artificial intelligence, especially with generative artificial intelligence in 2023, was like every headline. And now this year, we’re going to see how companies are going to – let me use the term – milk that cow.”


Elsewhere, Japanese automaker Honda is expected to unveil new electric vehicles, and Supernal – part of Hyundai Motor Group – is expected to showcase a flying taxi. There was also the usual swathe of new TVs, robots and other gadgets.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • In your opinion, is the dominance of artificial intelligence at events like CES a positive trend, or do you have concerns about its potential impact on society? Why? Discuss.
  • 130,000 attendees were expected to participate in the CES this year. Why do you think a lot of people are interested in events like this? If this were held in your country, do you think there would also be a high level of participation? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Why do you think AI was a major topic in headlines in 2023? Is this also true in your country? Discuss.
  • Andrea Nepori said that this year, we’re going to see how companies are going to “milk that cow.” What do you think he means by this? How do you think tech companies can do this? Discuss.