Sony Electronics NA President on CES Innovations

Chief operating Officer Mike Fasulo. He joins us on the phone in San Diego. Mike Hate, nice to have you here on Bloomberg. I do want to talk about c E S and what you guys will be um showing off there, But I gotta ask you, and I think it would be careless and thoughtless for me, as a journalist and really an American not to talk to you and ask you about what happened in Washington yesterday. How did it unfold for you? How did it make you think about kind of where we are as a country

and your responsibility as a leader overall? Well, thanks for having me, Carol. Yeah, sorry to start off as strong. Yeah, well, I think I felt, like many of us, you know, it was tragic, it was sickening, and you know we we and I condemn any lawlessness and violence. You know, I really feel sadly for those that were physically heard or mentally heard. I mean, I couldn't imagine being at the Capitol. But yeah, I mean I condemn it. It's terrible. So and I do want it, Yeah, absolutely, And I

do wonder. You know, it's been a year if I you know, go back to excuse me, a year where I feel like there's a lot of problems that have been a part of our society and that they were just laid bare again because of the health pandemic, because of what happened with George Floyd and others, whether it's diversity and inclusion, inequities, the gap in wealth in this country. And I do think ultimately, as a leader, don't you know what can we do? What the role of the

private sector? Do you think at all of this? Well, I think there's you know, looking at it from the silver lining side, which is really hard to do when this tragedy and lives involved negatively, But but you know, it has brought appropriate attention that we're not doing enough right and from the private sector side, from the from the sunny side, you know, CUSR, whether it's around the environment, whether it's around social justice, whether it's UM pandemic, COVID related,

and everything in between. That's a commitment to ours and and something we take very seriously as one of our responsibilities. And this past year we have been very very active on that front, obviously inside our company, but also out in the marketplace, you know, working with a number of institutions that you know, I'd be more than happy to share with you should do once this pipics, but you know, trying to affect real change. You know, I think the

social justice and I love it. I love specifics, and I promise you we're gonna talk about cs UM, but I want to so in terms of really be a game changer, how do you how do we we've all talked about like some of the inequities, uh and whether it's diversity and inclusion, you know, how do we really create real action and change? In your view, I think that I think the private sector has a large responsibility

for this. You know, Frankly, I don't think my generation did a great job, you know, I've been in the workforce for almost forty years, so I'm the old white guy. But the you know, we haven't we haven't done enough to affect real change. It goes well beyond my belief words and even donations. You know, how do we truly impact change? You know? I think about COVID nineteen and social justice and and they're they're connected. It's not independent, al right, So how do we get to those under privilege?

How do we get to those that we narrowly don't get the chance where the privileges that folks like I get, and really put them in a position for success, build on their confidence given the tools and invest in steam right, and they nut stand because arts equals creativity to us and innovation. But but there's tremendous we could do. I also think that the more we do together, not one

single company but groups of companies and networks, etcetera. Be more we do together, you know, the more impact will have an alignment. So as promised, Um, Mike, I do want to talk about Consumer Electronics Show, which kicks off virtually next week. What are you guys going to be highlighting And I'm curious what you think are some of the big trends that we all need to know about. Well, it's gonna be a different uh CES this year. That's the sure being being virtual. But we're still very excited,

and you know it's already being an entertainment company. We always have a lot of news to share in my role in electronics. UM. Even there, there's so many announcements, so let me try to try to boil it down. You know, we're we are announcing new audio applications UM that we call phishics and reality audio which is very immersive and surround sound and multiple applications, and we'll announce that next week, so I won't get too much into that.

Robotics for all ages, whether it's you know, our robotic door Gibo or Cove for steme and children. I think what I'm most excited about today is our announcements around our new cognitive intelligent TVs, world's first cognit intelligent TVs. So can I just tell you. We were discussing this on our planning call and we're like, all right, cognitive TV, what exactly does it mean? It kind of freaks me out if it's going to know what's kind of going on in my head? So tell me exactly what it means.

What's the experience for one who's got a cognitive TV. I mean it really when when you boil it down, it's immersive, it's really entertaining. It makes it connects sound and visual like your brain actually calculates it, not just one aspect, but puts it all together, including where you're focused on the on the TV. So it brings all of that together and brings everything to life and makes

it lifelike. It's it's again it's going to be a challenge with virtual because I always say seeing is believing, and in this case, seeing and hearing is believing. But it is the best quality picture that I think is on the planet. So wait, so help me out. So is it just a case of an incredible processor? So exactly what we're seeing visually and or hearing is just like I've been pulling up some screens on on my computer.

I mean, is it just what we see, what we hear is just kind of appt up from what we've got right now. Potentially it is definitely an incredible processor. Yeah, I think my engineers would be just an incredible thanks boss,

But it is, it is an incredible processor. But it's different than AI artificial intelligence, and that it's simultaneously calculating multiple variables, including including sound, so you know, it will not only in all content, so it will not only make us feel lifelike, but if you're watching a concert, you'll feel like you're at the concert. You know, if you're looking at interest, if you're listening to Bloomberg, your voice is gonna sound spectacular. That's all we care about.

It remarkable. Yeah, But from what I understand is if you're looking at a screen, um that the screen is actually divided into different sections so that as you kind of focus on it, I guess it adapts. Is that correct? Well, that's correct. So we call it zones. So the you know, the processor calculates zone by zone and then tries to think as if your brain thinks in your eyes, you know, where your eyes will be at a point in time. It's not looking at you. There's no watching you, okay,

processor oriented. Yeah, I got to say that. The experience I think that you know, we've all been able to build with kind of our home systems, it's pretty phenomenal and and all of us appreciate that even more since we've been stuck home watching so much content that you do think about, you know, the systems that are around

you and are constantly looking for upgrades. Something I want to ask you, it's a constant conversation in my home about kind of what the next car will be, and we want it to be some form of green car whatever that will be. Um but it's also increasingly you know, greater technology and the car I've got almost contrive itself. Autonomous vehicles. Where are you guys on that? Are you

part of that as well? We absolutely have to total we are and we've we're in a number of different areas on autonomous or drive a lists cars, but but the one that we're most focused on right now is around our capabilities with sensors and image sensors and turning it into sensing. So you know, the human I has has capabilities but has limited a image sensor has much

further capabilities. So we call it safety cocoon and think about your car, you know, being surrounded by sensors that create a cocoon of safety, so we can anticipate things that human I maybe would not, including changing in lights, going at the tunnels, you know, corners, etcetera. On incoming objects or oncoming objects. So we're working with a number of companies on including our sensors in in their models so that it's safe. And you guys are going to

be Actually you unveiled it and I did. I think it's some testing. Is it kind of a year ago at CS and so where are you guys? And I wonder how are you working with Apple? By any chance, we work with a number of companies. But we'll leave it at that. Okay, fair enough, fair enough? What what do you make of because I feel like there's a

lot of momentum, certainly coming off of Tesla. They had a batter year in but I do feel like in the last few weeks of last year we all kind of awakened again when it came to cars and e V and autonomous because of Apple once again, um becoming interested and involved once again. It's not their first time at the at this rodeo. But nonetheless, what do you

make of Apple getting involved? I think I think the more the more companies that could involved, especially incredible companies, you know, the better you know, will will well com

people will partner and we'll live and learn together. Um, I think it's it's a good it's it's to see other others joining in and in terms of yeah, I agree, you know, I feel like I don't know if you feel this way, Mike, I feel like, if anything, we learned this year in terms of UM community collaboration, especially when you think about a vaccine coming together and I understand it was a public private partnership, but it's amazing what we can all get done when we really even

though we may be competitors, when we work together kind of how we can just advance things with a much faster time frame. Absolutely agree. We call it communities of interest of getting closer to people in communities. Yeah, it's pretty fascinating. Well, listen, thank you so much. Good luck with next year. UM, thanks so much for sharing us and giving us a little bit of window. What will be uh hearing coming out of you guys when it comes to ce S next year. I really appreciate it.

Mike Fasulo, he's president and chief operating officer at Sony Electronics North America, on the phone from San Diego, and as he mentioned, the Consumer Electronics Show, YEP, it does get underway virtually. Uh next year, next year, next week? Excuse me, so always a place to look for some headlines