The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is the technology industry’s biggest gathering. Typically, it overtakes virtually all of Las Vegas, including the city’s and Sands’ convention centers. Last year, more than 170,000 attendees came to Las Vegas for four days and saw the latest in new technologies, from sensors, wearables, flexible electronics, TVs and displays, AI, robots, drones and so much more.

This year, as the world still combats the tragic COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of trade shows are simply not happening, and CES is among them. It will be practically impossible to replicate the CES experience online, but that is the alternative facing the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes CES.

CTA has set up an all-digital version of CES, which will be held Jan. 11-13 this year. Exhibitor showcases will be held Jan 12-13. Gary Shapiro, CTA’s president and CEO, said that the organization has been planning for this contingency since the middle of 2000, and CTA worked with Microsoft on the platform.

“This past year has been unlike any other,” Shapiro said. “We decided early and created this multi-million dollar platform. As a world, we have moved to digital transformation faster than anyone expected. CES 2021 is our first-ever all-digital event and allows new ways for people to attend. CES 2021 will bring together a global audience. Technology is keeping up connected.”

“CES 2021 will be a collaborative experience, encouraging connections between audiences and exhibitors from around the world,” said Karen Chupka, EVP, CES, CTA. “The digital transformation of our industry has given us an opportunity to reach an even larger, global audience and create new experiences for this year and beyond.”

Major companies are virtually showcasing their latest technologies this year. According to CTA, the attendees include Canon, Caterpillar, Intel, John Deere, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Sony, Samsung Electronics and TCL.

As for highlights, Shapiro noted that Best Buy CEO Corie Barry will provide her vision for the future. “Barry moved Best Buy to curbside pickup in three days,” he added. “We also expect to see a great focus on health care technology and broadband, and what you can do in your home office as well as smart cities.”

Other CES keynote speakers include Verizon’s Hans Vestberg, General Motors’ Mary Barra, AMD’s Dr. Lisa Su and WarnerMedia’s Ann Sarnoff.

Jean Foster, SVP, marketing and communications for CTA, said that it was essential to reimagining CES this year.

“CES is one of the most experiential events in the world, and while we can’t recreate that, we have been working for many months to come up with a solution,” Foster added. “We want to encourage connections. We are going to have more than 100 hours of programming, bring in business leaders and industry experts. Attendees will be able to interact with exhibitors via chat.”

“It is not the same as being face-to-face,” Shapiro added. “We plan to be back in Las Vegas in 2022. We have hundreds of exhibitors signed up for 2022 and are looking to have a hybrid event in 2022. We know it won’t be the same.