It’s that time of year when the world looks ahead to the future. New resolutions, state-of-the-art fads, and forward-facing predictions flood our inboxes, our feeds, and our reinvigorated mindsets. January goes hand and hand with new beginnings, but it’s also all about forecasting ways in which our lives (and our devices, platforms, and products) are poised to shift. Technology is at the heart of the USC Iovine and Young Academy, so there’s no better time to check out  the cutting-edge tech, electronic, and business innovations that industry leaders are buzzing about. 

The widening use of artificial intelligence, expanding metaverse capabilities, and the rise of chatbots like the ubiquitously analyzed ChatGPT are all dominating the tech conversation, but what about other advancements like sustainable healthcare developments and policies that give rights back to users?

Instead of just looking into a virtual reality crystal ball or purely researching the tech movements on the horizon, we were lucky enough to get first-hand dispatch from some of our very own Academy students as they attended the most “influential tech event in the world” –  CES, or the Consumer Electronics Show. With over 3200 exhibitors, the conference unveiled products and initiatives to eager fans, businesses, and creators alike, displaying an awe-inspiring lineup featuring the future of technological innovation as we know it (or don’t… yet).

Cohort 7’s Charlie Geraci made his way to CES because he says it’s the “best way to gauge the temperature of the industry, and hear from the brightest minds who are working to innovate every aspect of our lives.” Not only was he able to talk to engineers to demo early access hardware, he had the chance to hear keynote presentations from industry experts and leaders. 

Kai Vincent, also Cohort 7, felt getting a front row seat to CES’s intelligence was the perfect compliment to the Academy spirit. 

“Here at the Academy, we are constantly working to understand emerging technologies and industry trends in order to ideate and prototype solutions, so it was super insightful to hear how major players have been shifting their focus over the past few years and where they are looking to grow in the future,” Vincent explains. 

As far as trends that CES highlighted this year, Geraci noticed a handful of progressive patterns that made waves. A lover of user experience design, he saw a novel coalescence in the augmented reality and virtual reality spaces.

“For my work, one of the most important industry trends this year was the unification of AR and VR products into a more cohesive ecosystem rather than numerous isolated products from every manufacturer,” he shares.

From Vincent’s perspective, the Academy’s strong foundation in extended reality is on track for even further enhancements due to the latest headsets being developed, allowing for more “creative development.” 

Wellness devices and gadgets are also out making headlines. Vincent points out a new type of wearable technology concerning healthcare that caught his eye. 

“Another industry trend I saw this year was using stickers that contained embedded sensors that could be used in the healthcare industry to monitor a patient's vital signs under any conditions,” he adds. 

New York’s recently-passed Right to Repair Act, which requires electronics companies to supply diagnostic and repair information to consumers and third parties, was also a topic of note. This legislation restricts barriers on the process of fixing electronic devices, which has the potential to augment sustainability in the electronics industry. 

“This means that more repairs will be user accessible,” Geraci explains, “which in turn makes devices last longer and the world a greener place.” 

A commitment and compliance related to sustainable technologies is a bonafide trend in the market, as are “service offerings” that separate companies from their competitors. Vincent, passionate about elevating the customer and employee experience in, particularly in the aviation industry, witnessed a seac hange in the methods brands are utilizing to optimize consumer experiences. 

“As product offerings seem to become more homogenous recently—think of the minute, incremental changes to smartphones, for example—companies are looking towards their service offerings as a manner to differentiate themselves …  With consumers having an increasing amount of choice in their spending, I think that service offerings will become an increasingly important and competitive aspect in marketing to customers,” he shares. 

Vincent also noted an attention on policies that directly affect manufacturers and pioneers in the tech arena. He adds, “There was also an emphasis throughout CES on policy-making with regards to challenges being faced by innovators across several fields—foreign trade and healthcare regulations were among the many such topics discussed.” 

From unique marketing initiatives to an XR evolution to policies that protect users, tech’s future is vast, but Academy students are dedicated to keeping their fingers on its reverberating pulse. Until next year! 

Technology Trends to Look Out (Straight From the World’s Most Influential Tech Event)