'Worst In Show' Products From CES: AI-Powered Crib, Wasteful Refrigerator

The Worst in Show Awards, where experts highlight what they consider to be the worst products from the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, has revealed its list of the most dubious smart devices.

The Worst Environmental Impact Award

According to Stacey Higginbotham, who works for Consumer Reports, a non-profit that tests consumer products and advocates for consumer rights, the product that has the potential to exacerbate climate issues includes artificial intelligence as a feature.

Sound Hound AIS In-Car Commerce EOS System Powered by Sound Hound Artificial Intelligence Automotive AI was criticized for the "astronomical" computing power that's required to deliver its AI features.

"Training generalized AI models such as ChatGPT can use 30 to 40 times more energy compared to training a smaller more descriptive specialized model," she said.

The Worst For Cybersecurity Award

Paul Roberts, a cybersecurity professional, selected TP-Link, a China-based maker of Soho routers for use in home offices, as the product that is allegedly the least digitally secure due to what the judges claim is its extreme susceptibility to hacking.

"Unfortunately hacks at TP-Link devices are a common theme in China's state-sponsored hacking campaigns targeting U.S. businesses, government agencies, and critical infrastructure," Roberts said.

TP-Link, which has a 65% market share of WiFi and Soho routers in the United States, has to report flaws in their products or when a network is compromised to the Chinese government before they disclose it to the public.

According to Roberts, that lack of transparency to the public and strong ties to China's military and government, earned TP-Link as this year's winner for the worst in show at CES for cybersecurity.

The Worst For Repairability Award

Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, a company that makes repair guides and sells parts and tools, selected Ultra Human's new smart ring as the least repairable product at the show.

He noted that the smart ring costs $2,200 but the battery only lasts for 500 charges or a little over two years.

To make it worse, it can't be replaced.

Worst in Show Award

Products that made the judges incredibly uneasy were smart infant products that collect data.

According to one judge, these types of products regularly traumatized parents with false reports that their baby had stopped breathing.

An AI-empowered bassinet from Bosch called The Revol was deemed the worst for its limited use and whopping $1,200 price tag.

"These products collect a ton of information about you and your baby on an ongoing basis," said Cindy Cohn, Executive Director of EFF. "The Revol has a camera, a microphone, and a radar sensor but in exchange for that it's going to tell you when your baby poops–something that I suspect most of us can figure out without a suite of surveillance tools."

Who Asked For This Award

Samsung's Bespoke AI Washing Machine won the Who Asked For This Award due to "features no one needs," judge Nathan Proctor, the Senior Director of PIRG said.

He cited things like its ability to make phone calls. He said the features make them more expensive, fragile and difficult to repair.

The Overall Worst in the Show Award

LG 's AI Home Inside 2.0 Refrigerator "won" the Overall Worst award. Judge Gay Gordon-Byrne, the Executive Director of The Repair Association said features like a screen in the door, audio, web browsing capability and more are not needed for a device that's made for storing food.

She noted that it has shorter software support, higher energy consumption and expensive repair costs.