The high-tech trends of 2024 are not just about a race for gadgets. Two underlying movements are restructuring the sector: a European regulation that for the first time frames artificial intelligence and the reparability of devices, and a technical shift towards passwordless authentication. Measuring the real impact of these developments on businesses and consumers allows us to distinguish marketing announcements from sustainable changes.
Tech Regulation in Europe: AI Act vs Right to Repair
Two European legislative texts adopted in 2024 are concretely changing the obligations of manufacturers and publishers. The AI Act, published in the Official Journal of the EU on July 12, 2024, constitutes the world’s first comprehensive legislation on AI according to the CNIL. Its gradual entry into force starting August 1, 2024, requires companies to classify their AI systems by risk level.
The directive (EU) 2024/1799 on the right to repair, adopted in June 2024, takes a different angle. It obliges member states to facilitate repair rather than replacement, and extends the one-year warranty when the consumer chooses repair under the legal warranty.
| Text | Date of Adoption | Entry into Force | Main Obligation |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Act (AI Regulation) | Published on July 12, 2024 | Gradual from August 1, 2024 | Classification of AI systems by risk level |
| Directive (EU) 2024/1799 – Right to Repair | June 2024 | End of July 2024 | Facilitate repair, one-year warranty extension |
What stands out is the simultaneity. In a single summer, the EU established a framework on two fronts that hardware manufacturers and software publishers had previously treated separately. Smartphone or home appliance manufacturers must now integrate reparability into their design while ensuring that their embedded AI functions comply with the new regulation. Following tech news on Trop Facile helps measure how these constraints translate product by product.
Passkeys and the End of Passwords: Where is Adoption Now?
Passwordless authentication reached a milestone in 2024. Passkeys, these cryptographic keys linked to a physical device, are now being highlighted by major identity providers. Their main advantage: native resistance to phishing, as the key never leaves the user’s terminal.
However, adoption remains uneven. Recent sources describe passkeys as an underlying trend, more than just a simple experiment. In contrast, user habits are evolving slowly. Many still keep a traditional password as a fallback solution, which maintains an attack surface.
What is Hindering Large-Scale Deployment
- Compatibility between ecosystems (Apple, Google, Microsoft) is progressing but is not complete, complicating the synchronization of passkeys between devices from different brands
- Companies must adapt their existing multi-factor authentication systems, a task that affects both internal infrastructure and client applications
- User training remains a weak point: without understanding how passkeys work, many perceive them as an additional constraint rather than a simplification
Phishing-resistant authentication is becoming the new corporate standard, but full transition will take several cycles of hardware and software renewal.
Generative AI and Digital Sovereignty Constraints
Generative AI has monopolized media attention since late 2022. In 2024, the topic has pivoted: the question is no longer whether companies will adopt it, but under what constraints. The AI Act imposes transparency on AI-generated content, notably the obligation to inform the user that they are interacting with an automated system.
European companies face a trade-off. Using models hosted in the United States raises data sovereignty issues. Developing local models requires investments that only large groups can afford. The rise of regulatory constraints weighs as heavily as the technology itself in adoption choices.
Cybersecurity and Data: A Growing Cost
The proliferation of generative AI tools expands the attack surface. Each new tool connected to internal databases creates a potential entry point. Cybersecurity teams must audit not only applications but also plugins and extensions that integrate language models.
This security cost does not appear in the marketing demonstrations of publishers. However, it represents a significant portion of the actual budget for deploying AI in businesses.
Hardware Innovations at CES 2024: Transparent Screens and Connected Health
CES 2024 in Las Vegas showcased two categories of products that have moved beyond the prototype stage. Transparent screens, presented by Samsung and other manufacturers, are finding concrete applications in store displays and architectural signage. Their interest lies not in technical prowess but in integration into real environments.
Connected health dominated the show with wearable sensors capable of continuously tracking biological markers. Smartwatches and rings now incorporate measurements that were recently the domain of professional medical equipment.
- Transparent screens are moving from concept to commercial use, with prices starting to drop for medium formats
- Connected health devices are gradually obtaining medical certifications, opening up the insurance and prevention market
- Robot vacuums are incorporating vision-based navigation systems (cameras and LiDAR sensors) that improve mapping of complex spaces
The technological innovations presented at CES 2024 confirm a trend: hardware is evolving less quickly than the software that accompanies it. The added value is shifting towards embedded algorithms and associated services. A transparent screen without suitable content remains a gadget, a health sensor without medical certification remains a wellness accessory.
The difference between a fleeting high-tech trend and a sustainable innovation lies in this software and regulatory layer, the one that transforms a showcase product into a daily tool.
