From January the 5th to the 8th, SprintProject experts and its delegation of Supply Chain and Retail Executives flew to CES in Las Vegas, and went in search of the latest innovations and novelties that will impact tomorrow’s Supply Chain businesses.

We gave the floor to the members of the SprintProject delegation to get their impressions and feedback on this 2023 edition of CES in Las Vegas.

“It remains a key event in terms of innovation“, Nicolas SPECQ, Log’s Development Director

1. What did you think of this edition?

This edition was strongly oriented towards AI (Artificial Intelligence), and technologies that are already known but which are gradually reaching maturity. In particular, photovoltaic cells, haptic technologies, and autonomous systems. We can also mention a clear trend towards miniaturisation.

2. What do you remember most?

Innovation in the service of pragmatism and practicality. It also has a “car show” feel to it, as it brings together a lot of innovation in a single object.

3. What are the issues represented at the CES that you believe will have an impact on the future of the Supply Chain?

I was struck by the development of solar panels for existing buildings and all the technologies aimed at better controlling our consumption (water, electricity, gas). Finally, the “robot” part and the autonomous subjects were rather disappointing, I saw nothing really new.

4. Why is it important to be present at this event?

It remains a key event in terms of innovation. It allows us to discover – if not the great novelties, especially for this edition – at least the real advances (and therefore increasingly applicable) in technologies serving our businesses.

“I note that the share of innovations at the service of sustainable development remains very small, which is regrettable when we know that this is the biggest challenge for human beings today“, Jean-Baptiste BERG, Open Innovation Manager at GSE

As CES Las Vegas is the largest international trade fair on innovation, the major trends of today and tomorrow were observed there.

At this 2023 session in particular, we noticed, through the SprintProject Supply Chain delegation, that disruptive innovations are rare. On the contrary, we were mainly able to discover incremental innovation, applied to concrete and more successful use cases.

The show quickly made it possible to see which innovations would be called gadgets, and which innovations could meet a real need and thus provide real added value (for example, in mobility, health, logistics management, etc.).

I note that the share of innovations in the service of sustainable development remains very small, which is regrettable when we know that this is the biggest challenge for human beings today. Nevertheless, autonomous vehicles and machines, which are going to play an increasingly important role in the market, were specifically represented in the supply chain. Or electric and hydrogen vehicles, as today’s energy challenges are driving the transformation of the transport sector towards less carbon-intensive energy.

The event obviously remains a must for the innovation sector, but given its role as a giant and leader in the field, it must be more exemplary on ecological issues for future editions.

“Participating in CES was a valuable opportunity to discover the latest advancements in generative AI and its potential to bring innovation to the logistics industry.”, Bruno ACETI, CEO of GS1 Italy

As the head of GS1 Italy, I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The exhibition was heavily focused on the automotive and assisted driving of cars, agricultural machinery, trucks and other construction equipment (Caterpillar).

The proximity of the automotive sector to logistics has certainly given a further boost to the process of adopting Artificial Intelligence technology in logistics applications. This was the highlight of the exhibition for me, which was characterized not by the presentation of radical innovations but rather by the development of AI-based solutions that are constantly growing and improving, generating high levels of process innovation in many sectors. I was able to see up close the latest developments in AI applications in logistics efficiency and discover how it is used to optimize transport routes, predict product demand and improve inventory management (HERE, BOSCH).

Here – Transport tracking

I also saw how AI-powered robots could be used in warehouses to automate repetitive tasks such as package scanning and sorting, improving efficiency and reducing labor costs. Additionally, using AI in logistics also allows for monitoring of logistics operations and digesting a huge amount of data generated by processes, allowing for quick identification and resolution of problems, thus reducing delays and improving efficiency (Palentir – Foundry).

Palentir – Foundry

In general, I saw a strong focus on data and information generated by logistics processes and used to reduce response times and improve execution quality.

At Eureka Park, I was able to appreciate the incredible wealth of innovation generated by a multitude of small businesses and startups, many dedicated to the food sector and especially to reducing waste (AI food scanner – Nuvilab) and reducing emissions.

Al food scanner – Nuvilab

Another important innovation is the reduction of water consumption even in the domestic sector (Orbital). Among Amazon’s partners, I saw a system from a Swedish company that reduces water consumption for showers by 90% and energy costs by 80%. Adopting this innovation on a large scale, even just in the hospitality sector, would result in huge savings of water and energy.

Orbital System – Orbital shower

I was particularly impressed by the environmental innovation related to reducing pesticide use (John Deer), a chemical delivery system targeted at individual plants (exact shot) rather than the entire field surface. A set of technologies for a result of extraordinary scope in terms of environmental impact, reducing fertilizer use by 60%.

John Deer – The exact shot

In summary, I believe the relevance of the CES was to see new and important technologies at work, bringing the perspective of a radical change in many aspects of production, distribution and daily life closer to reality. An innovative product I would like to have in my home right now is the small kitchen garden…

As a GS1 representative, participating in CES was a valuable opportunity to discover the latest advancements in generative AI and its potential to bring innovation to the logistics industry. I am pleased to have dedicated this time to researching and observing new solutions and applications. Finally, I warmly thank the SprintProject team for their excellent organization and valuable advice provided throughout the exhibition. Their expertise and guidance were invaluable in selecting the best AI use cases in logistics and I appreciate their commitment in helping our organization progress.

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