Online video is taking over International CES next year.
When the annual consumer electronics conference descends on Las Vegas in January, it will feature keynotes from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and YouTube chief business officer Robert Kyncl. They join previously announced speakers including Intel CEO Brian Krzanich and Samsung Electronics president WP Hong.
“Netflix continues to prove itself as a leading innovator by progressively changing the status quo of bringing entertainment to consumers,” Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA, said in a statement. “We look forward to hearing from an executive who is leading a company that has redefined viewer expectations and has quite frankly changed the way that we all consume content.”
Of Kyncl, Shapiro said, “We are thrilled to welcome such a unique, innovative and powerful company to the keynote stage as CES continues to expand our Entertainment Matters Program and develop new hubs like C Space – the CES experience for creative communicators, brand marketers, advertising agencies, digital publishers and social networks.”
Event organizer the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) also announced Tuesday that YouTube stars Joey Graceffa and Justine Ezarik, aka iJustine, will be the official CES entertainment ambassadors. This is the first time that two ambassadors have been named, following Nick Cannon’s turn in the role at the 2015 event.
CES will host 3,600 exhibitors in 2016, including 500 tech startups. This year, organizers are expecting a number of companies in the fields of automotive, smart home technology, drones, 3D printing, ultra high-definition video and virtual reality.
Last year’s event drew more than 176,000 attendees and organizers said that this year attendance will be capped at 170,000.
CES runs from Jan. 6-9, 2016 in Las Vegas.
