(Image source from: x.com/iLBerCit)
As thousands of people gather for the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) in Berlin this week, artificial intelligence is being integrated into presentations, booths, laptops, smartphones, consumer electronics and even car dashboards. This year, AI will be at the center of the conversation at Europe's largest and one of the oldest consumer electronics trade fairs, as companies large and small unveil new AI-based products and share their vision for AI. But behind the glitz and gimmicks lies a call for AI regulation and regulatory oversight to ensure responsible AI development and deployment. Artificial intelligence is a major topic at this year's major technology conferences, from CES in Las Vegas and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to the annual developer conferences from Apple, Google and Microsoft. Artificial intelligence will be on display again at IFA, which opens on Friday, September 6th.
“We have seen AI product launches and announcements, but for many the use of AI in these products is unclear,” said Ken McKenna, consumer technology industry analyst at CCS Insight. IFA offers a great opportunity for people to get hands-on experience with a wide range of AI products and services and find out what the next wave of these products will look like, including improved performance and more affordable pricing to understand how things work . AI is still in its infancy and use cases are still evolving, but computer vendors and chipmakers are adapting it to work with AI. Our new PCs Industry insiders and experts expect the topic of AI PCs to be hot at IFA, as PC companies heavily emphasize the benefits of AI in the hope of making PCs cool again. Intel has announced Lunar Lake, the next version of its laptop CPU, which is expected to arrive on PCs later this year. Analysts expect PC vendors to unveil next-generation AI PCs with Intel AI chips at IFA. Intel has been in a tough spot lately with competitors like Apple, Qualcomm and AMD already launching AI-powered PCs. However, it remains to be seen how it will react to Intel and its chip strategy in the intense market competition. Qualcomm, the largest smartphone chip supplier, will also have a strong presence at this year's IFA and the company is expected to unveil its Copilot Plus low-cost AI computers to boost sales.
AI PCs are still new, so we are seeing great progress, not only in terms of computing power, but also in pricing for the masses and developing new use cases. “We expect to see this change at IFA, but hope to be surprised,” said Bryan Ma, vice president of device research at International Data Corporation. The computer industry may be on the verge of a huge shift in personal computers with artificial intelligence. New generations of AI PCs are equipped with additional processors, or NPUs, and tuned to accelerate AI features such as personal assistants and live transcripts for real-time translation. However, these use cases are not compelling enough to enable faster upgrade cycles. Industry insiders believe that AI PC use cases will continue to exist. However, it remains to be seen how PC companies will differentiate these from those coming to market with smartphones.
IFA is the perfect place for big product announcements, but also a big event for certain technologies and concept devices that can take their own place in a sea of AI-heavy gadgets. Last year, LG introduced a quirky 27-inch TV that fits in a suitcase, while Honor introduced a smartphone with a wristband and a foldable display. At IFA, Lenovo introduced its first Windows-based gaming device, the Legion Go (review), while Sylvox introduced a fully waterproof TV that actually floats on water. McKenna agrees that IFA, like the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, has been home to many "weird and wonderful" technology topics in recent years. He expects a similar trend this year, with IFA serving as a springboard for niche products and concept devices that will only be presented at the major technology trade fair in Berlin.
However, a growing trend every year at the annual IFA technology trade show in Berlin is the growing presence of robotics companies hoping to demonstrate advances in robotics by showcasing the most advanced robots and humanoids. At last year's IFA, Desdemona, a funny humanoid robot developed by artificial intelligence company SingularityNet in collaboration with Hanson Robotics, attracted a lot of attention from the audience. Desdemona uses a large language model similar to ChatGPT to answer questions. The company hopes Desdemona, a three-legged robot, will become a pop star. Another notable robot is the Yanu Absolut system, a concept robot that acts as both a bartender and a barista and can serve up to 100 drinks per hour.
Sustainable household appliances are also part of a major change taking place at IFA and are increasingly being highlighted by companies as an important selling point. This was clearly evident in household appliances, where energy efficiency was a key selling point rather than an afterthought. “Sustainability will also be a key theme as companies demonstrate their commitment to reducing their environmental impact through eco-friendly products and manufacturing processes,” McKenna said. However, as AI becomes more integrated into mobile and connected devices, policymakers and regulators are concerned about the rapid rise of chatbots like ChatGPT and future AI capabilities on laptops and smartphones. They are particularly concerned about whether these developments will enable greater freedom in performing tasks or contribute to the rise of fake deep pornography. The European Union is at the forefront of concerns about the potential misuse of artificial intelligence, even as tech giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, Google and chipmaker Nvidia continue to increase their investment in artificial intelligence. While opinions are divided on the applicability of such laws and how much they should restrict large technology companies, experts agree that some regulation of artificial intelligence is necessary.
“AI regulation will likely be a key topic at IFA 2024,” said McKenna. “How to train the underlying models, with a focus on ethical guidelines for development and use, privacy and copyright issues, and how to integrate AI into our lives to ensure that it does not exacerbate today's discrimination.” I hope it does There will be a discussion about how we can eliminate bias in AI for the benefit of society. "
