IFA 2024: AI gadgets and concept devices to headline Europe’s biggest tech show | Technology News

AI has been the central theme at large tech conventions this year, from the CES in Las Vegas and the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to the annual developer conferences of Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Artificial intelligence will once again be on full display when IFA kicks off on Friday, September 6.

“We have seen a wave of AI product launches and announcements, but for many, AI use cases in these products remain nebulous,” Kane McKenna, a consumer tech industry analyst at CCS Insight tells indianexpress.com. “IFA presents an excellent opportunity for people to get hands-on time with a huge range of AI products and services. I would also expect to see hints of what the next wave of these products has in store, be it improved functionality or more accessible price points.”

Although AI is still in the early stages and use cases are still being developed, computer vendors and chip makers are aggressively pitching PCs tailored to work with artificial intelligence. Insiders and trade pundits expect that AI PCs will be the “hot” topic at IFA, as PC companies will vigorously advertise the merits of AI in the hope of making PCs cool again. Intel will announce the next iteration of its laptop central processor, Lunar Lake, which will make its way into PCs later this year. Analysts expect PC vendors to showcase the next generation of AI PCs powered by Intel AI chips at IFA. Intel has been on a rough patch lately, as its competitors, including Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD, are already shipping cutting-edge AI PCs to the market. However, it remains to be seen how the market will respond to Intel and its chip strategy going forward amid tough competition. Qualcomm, the largest chip provider for smartphones, will also have a significant presence at IFA this year, with the company expected to announce its Copilot Plus AI PCs at a lower cost to boost sales.

“AI PCs are still so new that there is a lot of headway to be made around not just processing power, but also bringing prices to the masses as well as developing new use cases. In my opinion, the lack of mainstream use cases is still the gating factor; I am not expecting to see that change at IFA, but hopefully, I will be surprised,” said Bryan Ma, VP, Devices Research at International Data Corporation.

The computer industry may be on the brink of a tectonic shift with AI PCs. The new-generation AI PCs come with an additional processor or NPU, tailored to speed up AI features such as personal assistants and live transcripts that translate in real-time. However, the use cases are not compelling enough to catalyse a faster upgrade cycle. Industry insiders are hopeful that use cases for AI PCs will continue to emerge, though it remains to be seen how PC companies will differentiate those use cases from what has appeared on smartphones.

Although IFA is a hotbed for big-ticket launches, it has also been a major showcase event for niche technologies and concept devices that may shine a spotlight of their own amid the crowded landscape of AI-heavy gadgets. Last year, LG showcased its bizarre 27-inch TV that packs away into a suitcase, while Honor presented a smartphone with purse straps and an outward-facing foldable display. Lenovo announced its first Windows-powered gaming handheld, the Legion Go (review), at IFA, while Sylvox showed off a television that can actually float on water and is completely waterproof.

McKenna agrees that, like Vegas’ Consumer Electronics Show, IFA has become a home for a lot of the “weird and wonderful” in tech in recent years. He expects a similar trend this year, with IFA serving as a launchpad for niche products and concept devices that will only be on display at Berlin’s major tech show.

But a trend that seems to be growing at Berlin’s annual IFA tech show each year is the increasing presence of robotics companies eager to showcase advancements in robotics by presenting the world’s most advanced robots and humanoids. During last year’s IFA, Desdemona, a humanoid robot entertainer created by AI firm SingularityNet in collaboration with Hanson Robotics, was a major draw among audiences. Desdemona answers questions using a large language model similar to ChatGPT. The company hopes that Desdemona, the three-legged robot, will become a pop star. Another notable robot, Absolut’s Yanu system, is a concept robot pitched as both a bartender and barista, capable of serving up to 100 drinks per hour.

Sustainable consumer electronics are also part of a larger shift happening at IFA, with companies increasingly highlighting them as a key selling point. This was evident in the case of appliances, where energy efficiency is more of a key selling point rather than an afterthought. “Sustainability will also be a key theme, with companies demonstrating their commitment to reducing their environmental impact through eco-friendly products and manufacturing processes,” said McKenna.

Innovation For All (IFA) fosters a diverse environment where innovations take centre stage. (Express Photo)

But as AI is integrated into more mobile devices and connected appliances, policymakers and regulators are concerned about how the meteoric rise of chatbots like ChatGPT and the upcoming AI features on laptops and smartphones will impact users. Specifically, they worry about whether these advancements will enable greater freedom in carrying out tasks or contribute to the rise of deepfake pornography. The EU has been at the forefront of flagging concerns over the potential for abuse of artificial intelligence, even as big tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and chipmaker Nvidia continue to increase AI investments. Although opinions vary widely on the enforceability of such rules and keeping the big tech in check, experts agree that some sort of regulation of AI is needed.

“AI regulation is likely a significant topic of conversation at IFA 2024,” McKenna says. “I would expect discussions around ethical guidelines on development and use, data privacy, and copyright issues on how foundational models are trained and how we can address biases in AI to ensure that its inclusion into our lives does not exacerbate the discrimination already present in today’s society.”

(The writer is in Berlin attending IFA 2024 at the invitation of Lenovo)