The Consumer Electronics Show, commonly referenced as CES, brings all the best and most innovative tech together in Vegas for one week. And really, who doesn't want to check out all of the cool plans and gadgets that companies like LG, Sony, Amazon's Alexa and more have to present.
Sure, if you work in payments you might not think that it's the place to be, but you would be mistaken. With everything from a digital money conference stream (I mean, it is technically tech) all the way to new innovations that change the way you pay, it's a place you want to be. CES can easily be one of the biggest tech shows you'll ever attend and we know how daunting that can seem. So, with that in mind, we've complied a list of the top 6 things you have to check out while you're there. Think of it as a guide to all things payments at CES2018.
1. The Digital Money Forum
It would be silly of us not to suggest that you attend the conference stream directly related to payments, and we're pretty sure you'll hear some insightful conversation on the industry and its future, so that's why its at the top of our list. And while this forum focuses on 3 key topics (new links in the blockchain, IoT and commerce, and the rise of robo-advisors), we suggest checking out:
The New World of Digital Payments
- January 9th 9-11:15am
- Venetian, Level 4, Lando 4302
- Chat You Don't Want to Miss: Identity vs. Privacy in the Emerging Digital World at 10:45am
Leaders in Digital Money
- January 9th 11:30-12:30pm
- Venetian, Level 4, Lando 4302
- Chat You Don't Want to Miss: Cleveland Brown-VR/AR Meet the World of Digital Money at 11:42am
- How can you turn down the CEO/Founder of Payscout talking about the future of payments with virtual and augmented reality, its not just for games anymore!
- Chat You Don't Want to Miss: Jason Mars-AI-s place in the World of Digital Money at 12:04pm
Cryptocurrency: Game of Coins
- January 9th 2:15-3:15pm
- Venetian, Level 4, Lando 4302
- Chat You Don't Want to Miss: All of them. With cryptocurrencies taking the world by storm and Bitcoin reaching an all-time high by late 2017, this conference is sure to be filled with intrigue.
The Future of Blockchain
- January 9th 3:30-7pm
- Venetian, Level 4, Lando 4302
- Chat You Don't Want to Miss: 100 Uses for the Blockchain at 3:45pm
- Blockchain tech isn't just for cryptocurrencies, it's changing the way we approach business, life, government and more. Plus, they plan to explore the most radical possibilities it can offer, who isn't intrigued by that?
2. The (Intel)ligent Keynote
Ok, maybe it's not directly payments related, but that being said, the Intel Keynote with CEO Brian Krzanich is sure to be a can't miss as he discusses the power of unlocking data and how it can drive the future success of business. Everyone wants access to, and needs data, and so Brain's chat about the way its collected, stored and analyzed may just change the way you approach data in a payments space. Worst case? You sat through a really cool conversation.
Intel Keynote Address: How Data is Shaping Innovation of the Future
- January 8th 6:30-7:30pm
- Tech South, Monte Carlo, Park Theater
3. Artificial Intelligence Is Taking Over
It's no surprise that AI is where we're heading. Does it remind me of that movie from 2001 with Haley Joel Osmont? Kinda. But, the innovations of AI are so cool that we can't even fault it. There's a plethora of AI conferences suited for anyone and everyone but the ones we think you'd most benefit from discuss service robots and utilizing AI for business
Designing AI-Powered Robots
- January 9th 10:15-11:15am
- Tech East, LVCC, North hall, N260
Turning AI into New Ways of Doing Business
- January 10th 2-3pm
- Tech East, LVCC, North Hall, N257
4. Get To Know Millennials
A large portion of millennials behaviour is fueled by digital technology, and this conference is set to demystify the influential group to help leverage for your business. So what do payments players get from this one? Well, if you work in the payments space and millennials, gen Z and next-gen consumers are the most influential, the more you know about them, the easier it will be to learn what payments systems work best for them. In other words, learn what peaks their interest and cater that to the user experience from end to end
Millennial Myth Busters, Gen Z and the Next 'Next-Gen'
- January 9th 11:45-12:45pm
- Tech South, ARIA, Level 1, Bristlecone 4
5. Pay With Biometric Scans?
Gentex Corporation, a supplier of electro-optical products announced that they would be unveiling a new connected car, biometrics and digital rear vision tech this year at CES2018. And frankly, it sounds pretty cool. But what peaked our interest most was Gentex's biometric in-vehicle payments allowing drivers to pay for things like gas, drive-thru and more. Gentex has paired up with Visa Token Service, so it's likely to be an awesome product.
- Booth: 9123
6. Charge Away
Hubject, a B2B service provider connects over 63,000 electric car charging stations with 300 partners in over 26 countries, making them the largest cross-country charging network. They work to connect charging operators with emobility service providers so you never run out of juice. Accepting a range of payments from contactless to paypal, hubject is a cool vendor to check out for their payment integration possibilities or just their eco-friendly product!
- Booth: 2401/2501
Regardless of what you end up hitting up at the Consumer Electronics Show, it's sure to be a week filled with nifty gadgets, innovative product launches and more information than you could normally handle, and we love it. Let us know if there's anything you think we missed or should add to our CES2018 Payments Guide!
