The Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (CEATEC) kicked off in Chiba on Tuesday for a four-day run.

The trade fair showcases products and services that employ artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to try making lives more convenient and work more efficient.

The event at the Makuhari Messe convention center brings together 808 companies and organizations from Japan and abroad, including startups and universities.

"We have entered a new era that requires us to consider how we face AI to address challenges," Kazuhiro Tsuga, chair of the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association, or JEITA, which organizes the event, said in a speech at the opening ceremony.

JEITA expects the exhibition to draw over 100,000 visitors.

This year's CEATEC takes place in conjunction with the Japan Mobility Show, which showcases products and services related to transportation.