LAS VEGAS--Like it or not, CES has now become a car show, for the same reason we cover the automotive world now at Ars Technica. Simply put, the tech sector has taken a look at the automobile, and it sees dollar signs. Whether or not this vast annual trade show is the right way to kick off a new year (spoiler--it's not), attending CES does have some value in trend-spotting. And this year, the main trend appeared to be "the same product you saw last year, but with AI": AI-enabled TVs, AI-enabled induction cooktops, and yes, AI in cars. Take BMW--in a couple of months, in some markets, you'll be able to buy a 3 Series (or 8 Series, or X5, or Z4) that includes the company's new Intelligent Personal Assistant as a feature of the new seventh-generation infotainment system.

Honda hasn't been shy about wanting an AI assistant in its cars, and it's bringing in a partner to ensure that this assistant is one you'll want to use. The automaker has tapped SoundHound to speed up the development of its AI companion. Thanks to the Houndify platform, your ride should understand natural, conversational voice commands, including ones that depend on contextual details like your location or past requests. If this sounds familiar, it should -- Hyundai and Kia are also using SoundHound's tech to power their respective assistants. You shouldn't get a cookie-cutter experience when Honda is free to customize the experience and add its own flourishes, but it could lead to your future ride sharing some major technology in common with a rival brand.