Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Dell Technologies World 2024!
We're here in Las Vegas for this year's event, which promises to be packed full of news and announcements.
Today saw an opening keynote from Chairman and CEO Michael Dell, joined by Bill McDermott, Chairman and CEO, ServiceNow, Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO, NVIDIA and Sungwoo Hwang, President and CEO, Samsung SDS to talk all things computing, AI and cloud - and you can follow all the latest updates below.
- "All that came before was really a pregame show" — Dell CEO says AI will be bigger than the Internet, but it needs to do good for humanity as well
- Dell and Nvidia are teaming up to provide companies with “AI factories”
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And that's a wrap here, and the end of our day one coverage! We'll be back tomorrow with the day two keynote, which promises a deeper dive into some of the product announcements we heard about today, so be sure to check back tomorrow for all the latest updates and news.
Wrapping up, the panel is asked what role tech has played in their careers - and it's pretty unanimous - none of them would be where they are without it!
"Technology is perhaps the most important thing we've done in human history...it's the one advancement that will never stop advancing," T-Pain says, in perhaps one of the most profound statements we'll hear this week.
As for T-Pain, he favors the visual, as he can't do everything himself! But as he struggles to articulate himself, AI could help him create what's in his brain in a much clearer way - althought Neuralink might be a step too far.
Asked about potential dream projects with AI or technology, the Chainsmokers say they'd like to experiment with voice-changing tech, naming Brian Eno as a particular inspiration.
"But there's also going to be a lot more sh*tty music," they say, as the barriers of entry are going to be lower.
T-Pain has also been experimenting with AI - but in a slightly different way, as he's been part of a project that AI generates songs in the style of a certain artist.
He admits it was pretty mind-blowing, but also slightly scary in terms of legal or copyright issues.
The Chainsmokers have been playing around with some open-source AI tools, and we're given a look at some frankly quite terrifying clips made with Stable Diffusion technology.
To them, it was a fast way to get a video produced and sent out for a new song that previously could have taken weeks or months to make.
AI could even help artists hit by sickness, or try and push musicality a little further, both groups agree - if you have something that might be a little too hard for human hands, why not utilize it?
T-Pain says songs often get lost in translation between creation and production, but AI can possibly help with that.
"I don't think it's going to replace anything - but it can enhance everything," he says, noting that a lot of software and code has been created by people who aren't actually musicians.
For their part, the Chainsmokers say they are looking into using AI for generating artwork, design pieces and more - if not just for getting exactly the pieces they want, saving money and time...
"This could make a new generation of creators...but remember that making music is meant to be fun!" Chainsmoker 1 (they do have names, but we haven't been told which is which) says.
"There's always going to be tech, there's always going to be a difference of opinion," T-Pain says - noting that you can usually tell pretty quickly when music is AI-generated.
"There's always going to be ways where people look to push tech into what humans are doing."
T-Pain is, of course, a major innovator in the music technology space, pioneering that late 2000's/early 2010's autotune trend.
He says he doesn't believe will replace artists, and that "AI is only as smart as what you teach it."
"Ai is ushering in a new age of expression in the music industry," Turnell says, introducing The Chainsmokers and T-Pain to the stage.
We're back, and all set for this afternoon's "Trailblazer" session, which unsurpisingly is about AI...but perhaps more surprisingly, features The Chainsmokers and T-Pain talking to Gerri Tunnell, Chief Marketing Officer, Dell Technologies, about the usage of the technology in the music industry.
What's T-Pain's favorite LLM? We might be about to find out....
That's a wrap on the Q&A - we're off to grab some lunch, but we'll be back shortly with an afternoon session that we think might offer a pretty unique take on AI...
Next up, is there a difference in reception from big to smaller AI models, and will Dell focus more on one or the other?
Dell notes that for many companies, there will be lots of models running at the same time, so the focus is probably more towards making sure the opportunity to get the most out of your data, using the right hardware, is key.
Moving on to a question about AI PCs, especially with Microsoft's new Copilot Plus platform and Qualcomm's Snapdragon AI chips.
Clarke says it often leads to extra power and efficiency compared to some other platforms - NPUs can do more than previous CPU offerings ever could.
Dell backs this up by outlining how a better experience for the user, using AI, is something many companies want to provide - and offering NPU-powered PCs is a step towards that.
The next question is about checks and balances concerning AI - how do we make sure it is going to be used for good?
Dell assures us his company has a strong set of rules and regulations around the responsible use of AI - but that there is always the possibility of some bad apples.
"The computer doesn't know what it's going to do when it leaves the factory," he says.
Clarke expounds a little more on Dell's responsible AI policy, noting there is an active governance policy on every project carried out by the company.
The next question is around the rate of maturity from customers - are many of them at the same place, or are they embracing AI already?
"It's a multi-speed world," Dell notes, saying some companies are obviously more "aggressive" than others when it comes to AI - and many who are still trying to figure out the right use cases.
With investors and bosses asking for more AI, no matter what level, this so-called digital transfromation is still dominating the conversations Dell says he has all over the world.
Next question is for Jeff Clarke, concerning AI and coding/development within Dell, such as in customer services and supply chains.
Clarke says the company has identified five key areas - including content creation, R&D, customer service, sales and marketing, and supply chain.
He adds the company needed to standardize processes to make sure using AI is actually efficient.
This helping add in areas such as predictive maintenance and care, helping spot any potential issues before they cause too much disruption.
Here we go! First up, a question about customer demands and requests.
Dell refers back to the idea of the AI factory - "if you don't have any data, you don't have any AI," he notes.
But the whole Dell portfolio is able to come together to offer customers a well-rounded product.
"While everyone's data is unique, the problems are usually the same, " he says.
After a short break, we're back with a Q&A with Michael Dell and Jeff Clarke, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Dell Technologies.
Although they're actually 15 minutes late...what could be going on backstage?
"We are at the dawn of a new age of cognition - the age of AI...and the possibilities are embedding the spirit of today's greatest innovators," Dell says.
All of Dell's VIP guests are now coming back on stage, along with student innovators, to lap up the acclaim of the crowd.
And with that, it's a wrap on the day one keynote - but there is plenty more to come today, so stay tuned to TechRadar Pro throughout the day.
"For us to realise the possibilities of AI, we need to do it respnsbily, and address the barriers to adoption holistically," Dell says, saying the company is ready to stand with governments.
The company calls its viewpoint "AI for human progress" and we're seeing a few examples now - including how doctors are using AI to progress research, food producers are boosting sustainability, and stduents are using AI tools to keep societies safe and secure.
To wrap up now, Dell is telling us to look at the big picture when it comes to AI
"The real question isn't how big AI can be, but how much is AI going to do?" Dell asks, highlighting there is still a lot we don't know, and how in the wrong hands, it can be a possible threat.
"Eventually, AI will be at the center of all of our lives," he says, so it's important to ensure it is trained properly.
But it will also take a lot of energy, and Dell says it is committed to running the greenest infrastructure possible - including sustainable data centers, smart power management, and green and renewable energy sources.
"We have two things we need to do," Huang says - modernizing billions of dollars of outdated data centers, and building AI factories for these other industries.
And with that, Jensen Huang heads off to a rapturous farewell.
Huang notes the opportunity of modernizing data centers that were created for the last generation of computing (pre-AI) and how new "AI factories" will be the next big leap forward - with data coming in, and tokens coming out.
The companies are today announcing a new "AI factory" platform that brings all this hardware and software together, utilizing Nvidia's newest Blackwell-powered kit.
The partnership between Nvidia and Dell is going to be the biggest go-to-market in AI computing in history, Huang notes - as Dell is the only company that offers such a breadth of technology and services.
Huang notes the opportunity of modernizing data centers that were created for the last generation of computing (pre-AI) and how new "AI factories" will be the next big leap forward - with data coming in, and tokens coming out.
"Every aspect of computing is being changed," he notes.
And here's our biggest VIP guest - Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO, NVIDIA.
The leather jacket game, as always, is strong - I'm pretty sure it's the same one he was wearing at Nvidia GTC 2024 a few weeks ago though!
Dell and Nvidia have been partners for decades, and Michael asks Jensen about the "AI revolution".
"The big idea of AI, no matter the source...is that we could learn the meaning of information from the data," Huang notes. And now we have the ability to generate information, this is going to the next level - "we're now producing intelligence", as Huang says.
"The AI wave is massive," he adds, with the demand for tokens beginning to grow to over 1 quadrillion by 2028.
"Eventually, the application of AI will be like the internet - it will be as ubiquitous as the Internet, as electricity," he says.
Next up, we're turning to the company itself - Dell is calling out the amazing work done by his employees, and how it has helped the company and his customer base grow.
"We're reinventing ourselves once again to be a better partner for you," he notes, saying the company is evolving its gen AI view as customers demand it.
"It's both a sprint and a marathon," Dell says. "The uptake and demand for AI is unprecedented - it will touch each industry, in every organization."
Our next guest is Sungwoo Hwang, President and CEO, Samsung SDS, the company responsible for helping push Samsung's AI mission, including providing cloud and AI tools to customers across the world.
Hwang notes how Dell is helping the company by boosting automation, especially when building LLMs on-prem.
Hwang adds that Dell is providing Samsung SDS with PowerEdge servers, helping it to serve more customers than ever, as well as boosting security and customized AI service development.
Turning to data centers, specifically at the edge Dell gives us a look at inferencing, personalization and AI assistance.
He says the company's PCs are "an essential part" of the compute engine for inference at the edge.
To go along with Microsoft's new Copilot Plus, there are no less than 5 new Dell AI PCs featuring the new AI platform, offering unmatched speed and efficiency alongside all-day battery life.
"Our ecosystem is bursting with innovation," he says.
Moving to unstructured data, Dell announces the new PowerScale F910, which he says can "feed the beast of accelerated computing".
There's also the PowerEdge XE9680 - "at the heart of the AI factory", he notes - offering industry-high power that will make generative AI easier to access for more companies.
Lightning-fast networks are on offer via new PowerSwitch products, developed alongside Broadcom and Nvidia.
"Data has been, and is, at the center of everything - it is the rocket fuel," Dell says.
"No one has provided more data storage than Dell - and we're pulling away," he notes, announcing the new PowerStore Prime storage product - with up to 66% more performance, and "world-class" efficiency.
After that incredibly hyped-up view of AI, (and a major love-in between McDermott and his host) Michael Dell looks to move things on by turning to making the most out of data.
"What we've learned over time is that you don't want to bring all your data to a publicized cloud," he notes - highlighting some of the cost issues when it comes to public vs private cloud alone.
Inference and data gravity are the main issues, he says - "you want to bring AI to your data, not the other way around."
McDermott says he believes every company has to become an intelligence company in the age of AI - but speed will be the difference - can your company make the most of the innovations early enough?
"I think AI is leading to a new era," he says, "where everything will be digitized."
It's time for our first guest - Bill McDermott, Chairman and CEO, ServiceNow, equipped with full Vegas-style suit and sunglasses.
He's keen to promote how ServiceNow can help companies also make the most of AI and innovation, with a new "revolution" driving "unbelievable acceleration"
"Every industry in the world will be changed with Gen AI," McDermott says. "This is really big, and it's moving really fast."
"Human providence has increased by orders of magnitude...it's been one hell of a ride," Dell says - but this is only the start.
"We're moving from computation to cognition - towards the age of AI," he says.
"We are unleashing technology that will unleash scientific technology and development...to transform how we live and work."
Likening AI development to early mills, he says that AI can provide a wide range of innovations and progress.
Customers are putting their data to work, and Dell wants to help encourage companies to embrace AI.
"We have built Dell Technologies to be your trusted partner," Mr Dell says, highlighting that the company celebrated its 40th birthday this year.
Here we go - the lights go down, and after a brief video extolling the virtues of AI (surprise surprise), which was apparently used to make the video - it's time to kick off.
Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO, takes to the stage.
So how many times will we hear the words "artificial intelligence" today?
I would say play along at home, but I think we'll lose count within the first quarter of an hour...but with Dell having influence across a wide range of tech sectors, it is sure to play a major role.
We're in and seated ahead of the keynote - as usual, it's time for some ear-splitting techno to get us all warmed up...just what you want at 9.30am, right?
And there is an Elvis impersonator at registration...because, you know, Vegas!
As is traditional now for many tech conferences in Las Vegas, Dell has sponsored the Sphere to promote the event - and we got a pretty good view of it from our hotel room!
Good morning from beautifully sunny Las Vegas! We're excited to get going with Dell Technologies World 2024, so will be heading down to the keynote later, where Chairman and CEO and Michael Dell will be kicking things off.
How many times will we hear the phrase "AI" today?
So what can we expect from Dell Technologies World 2024?
The show opens with a keynote hosted by company chairman and CEO Michael Dell, who will be joined by some very special guests.
Day two is set to focus more on AI, with a keynote hosted by Jeff Clarke, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Dell Technologies.
But there's also breakout sessions by some very intruiging guests from the musical and entertainment world - stay tuned to find out more....
