The world's largest IT exhibition, 'CES 2025,' showcasing cutting-edge future technologies, will take place from Jan. 7 to 10 (local time) in Las Vegas, the United States, on an unprecedented scale. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes CES, highlighted digital health, energy transition, quantum technology, and mobility as technologies to watch alongside artificial intelligence (AI).
Brian Comiskey, senior director and futurist at CTA, noted in an interview with CHOSUNBIZ on Jan. 5 (local time) that "Korean corporations are leading innovations in various fields at this CES," adding, "This is because Korean corporations are not focusing solely on one area of innovation, but are considering products across all fields." The CTA awards innovation prizes annually for innovative consumer technology products among entries in each technological institutional sector. Among the 292 officially announced innovation award-winning corporations so far, Korean corporations account for 44% with 129, ranking first.
Director Comiskey stated, "This year, more than 4,500 corporations and institutions are participating in the exhibition, including over 1,400 startups, with a record number of innovation entries," noting that "innovation can emerge anywhere in the world, but particularly Korean corporations are receiving positive evaluations for focusing on the 'human-centered' innovation that CES values." He elaborated, saying, "From large corporations to startups, Korean corporations are announcing many products that span the entire industry, such as energy, smart home, and mobility technologies, which shows that they are thinking integratively about what technology means to users."
Director Comiskey projected that the investment outcomes of AI technology will begin to manifest in earnest this year. He stated, "The key to this exhibition is AI technology that transforms devices into personalized platforms," and emphasized that "especially in the fields of digital health, energy transition, and mobility, personalized AI technologies will be heavily applied, making their benefits visible."
Additionally, Director Comiskey predicted that the era of quantum technology will begin to open following AI. He said, "The era of quantum technology will fully commence in the 2030s," adding, "Many believe that quantum technology development is still in its early stages, but the technological advancements necessary for actual commercialization are progressing much faster than expected." Following IBM's introduction of the world's first circuit-based commercial quantum computer at CES in 2019, Google announced last month that its self-developed chip-equipped quantum computer has surpassed the performance of the highest-performing supercomputers.
Director Comiskey identified notable quantum technology corporations such as Cellid from Korea, IQP from Germany, and Aseck from the Netherlands. He mentioned, "In this exhibition, most companies associated with quantum technology are focusing on developing AI chips and quantum architectures," and added, "If we see the period from the emergence of the first quantum computer in 2019 to 2030 as one significant flow, then we have entered the middle stage and will see quantum technology holding much greater significance at CES in 10 years." The first quantum conference will also take place at this exhibition under the theme of 'Quantum technology is business.'
Prior to the interview, the CTA named LG Electronics, Lotte, DeepX, Siemens, and EMD as exhibition corporations not to be missed in the AI sector this year. In the digital health sector, domestic AI-based food tech company Nublab and auditory solution developer EssilorLuxottica, which supports individuals with moderate to severe hearing loss, were recommended.
Director Comiskey remarked, "Digital health, which has established itself as a core CES technology, is targeting 'longevity' to expand its market size," adding, "This year's participating corporations are also utilizing AI to provide personalized medical services, focusing on enhancing the accessibility of telemedicine. For example, companies like Onmed have developed hybrid medical booths that collect patient health data in real-time using high-resolution cameras and multiple sensors and transmit it to medical personnel." Corporations to watch in the energy transition sector include the SK Group exhibition hall, Eneos, and Hitachi. In addition, automotive corporations such as BMW and Honda, and agricultural and special vehicle manufacturers including Caterpillar, John Deere, and Oshkosh are featured in the mobility sector.