The one thing I know from going to the Consumer Electronics Show over the past few years is that every time you go, you will find at least one Chinese company that you've never heard of … and that makes just about every kind of electronics gadget you can imagine. This year that one Chinese company was Haier. If the name sounds vaguely familiar, that's because Haier bought General Electric's appliance business in 2016. And if it doesn't, that's because the company hasn't really announced itself under its own brand widely. I did a walk-through of the company's booth, and it's worth skimming through despite the extremely authentic CES chaos, bustle, and noise.

Asking Alexa or her cloud-based buddies to turn on lights, or activate the air conditioning ahead of your arrival home, might seem nifty – for now. As artificial intelligence takes up residence, prepare for a home that doesn't need to be told – it knows intuitively everything about you, anticipating your every move (and mood), and adjusting itself to take care of you. A glimpse of that future was unveiled at technology trade show CES Asia in Shanghai in June, when a new product category – artificial intelligence (AI) – was introduced. John T. Kelley, senior director, international programs and show director, CES Asia, describes artificial intelligence (AI) as "one of those exciting technologies that will become ubiquitous in the next decade as it becomes more deeply embedded in the products that we use day in and day out to make our lives better". AI is already being incorporated in everyday consumer technology products that provide practical benefits, including cars, smart homes, robotics, health and wellness devices and home security, he adds – and in many categories, China is leading the way.

WHEN the electronics industry meets in Las Vegas at CES, its main trade show, buzzwords abound. But rarely has one been as pervasive as this week. "Artificial intelligence" or variations on the theme ("AI-driven", "AI-powered" and so on) were slapped across most new products--although often the artificial overcame the intelligence. Those attending gawped at an interactive bathroom mirror on the stand of Haier, a giant Chinese white-goods maker. Look into it, like the Wicked Queen in Snow White, and instead of being told you are the fairest, your data profile appears on the glass. It displays weight (from an interactive scale), urine-test results (from a sensor on a connected lavatory) and other health-related things.