The Show Goes On: John T Kelley, CES
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is once again preparing to host a global gathering of innovation, but the event is taking place amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and China. John T. Kelley, vice president of Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and CES show director, emphasises that CES 2025 is designed to be a platform that transcends these tensions, fostering partnerships and driving global growth.
CES 2025 will feature over 1,300 Chinese exhibitors, with Alibaba Group Holding continuing to be the largest foreign participant. Although a significant figure, Chinese company presence remains below the 2018 peak, with the absence of some notable companies such as ByteDance's Tiktok, Baidu, Huawei, and DJI, according to SCMP. As John stated, "CES is a global business event with more than 40% of our attendees coming from outside the U.S." and "We look forward to bringing together the entire global innovation ecosystem at CES 2025 to forge partnerships, make deals, and drive global growth while solving some of the world’s most pressing issues”.
While China is the largest producer of electric vehicles, John did not explicitly confirm the presence of all major Chinese EV manufacturers. Instead, he highlights that CES will showcase the "entire mobility ecosystem," which includes passenger and autonomous cars, as well as technologies related to construction, agriculture, boating, and advanced air travel. He also mentioned that the new mobility stage in West Hall will feature programming about the future of mobility and how to create a more sustainable and connected world.
According to John, CES 2025 will be a showcase of technology that addresses some of the world's most pressing issues, with a particular focus on AI, digital health, sustainability, accessibility, advanced mobility, and enterprise solutions. He stated, “CES 2025 will show technology solving some of the world’s biggest challenges. From AI to digital health, sustainability, accessibility, advanced mobility, and enterprise, the whole tech ecosystem will be on display." AI will be a dominant theme, demonstrating its integration into daily life through enhanced productivity, customer experience, and medical advancements. He noted, "As you walk the floors of CES, you’ll see how AI is integrating into our lives, making an impact through increased productivity, enhanced customer experience, and lifesaving medical advancements."
John has addressed concerns about the overhyping of AI, which has caused consumer skepticism. He stated, "CES 2025 will showcase AI enhancing products with personalised experiences, better performance, and smarter predictions. AI isn't just about the future - it’s improving what we use today". He also highlighted that the CTA supports the development of AI that is ethical, inclusive, and trustworthy.
Sustainability will also be a major focus at CES 2025, with technologies aimed at reducing emissions, improving energy efficiency, and using sustainable materials. According to John, “Sustainability technology at CES includes power solutions for on and off the grid, water security and purification, battery tech, and beyond." He also noted, " We’ll also hear about the energy transition and how we power our world in conference programming". Innovations in power solutions, water security, and battery technology will also be on display. Eureka Park will also showcase startups pushing the boundaries of innovation. "In Eureka Park, the startup hub of CES, we’ll see groundbreaking innovation pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, including country pavilions from markets around the world" he said.
While the US-China political tension has added some complexity to the landscape surrounding CES 2025, John is adamant that the show will continue to be the leading platform to promote collaboration and innovation “CES 2025 brings the entire global innovation ecosystem together to forge partnerships, make deals, create jobs, and drive global growth".