I Am Gary Shapiro, President/CEO of CTA, producers of CES. AMA!

Let's dispel once and for all this notion that Gary Shapiro doesn't know who he's voting for; he knows exactly who he's voting for. Marco Rubio. Mr. Shapiro, why have you decided to back Senator Marco Rubio for POTUS in 2016?

He is the only candidate who is talking about technology. He has an entire chapter in his book focused on Uber. You won't hear Mr. Trump talking about AirBnB the way Marco Rubio does.

Strange, he said some pretty flattering things about Trump right before this election race.

Well, I did write a flattering commentary about Celebrity Apprentice 3 years ago. I have published 2 Op-Eds detailing how he is unqualified given his extreme and negative view about important American constituencies like Veterans, Latinos and women.

Do you believe people are supporting Trump because current Politicians aren't fixing even simple things like the Patent System so they are choosing to support some1 alternative?

Yes. Americans are responding to the dysfunctional system that can't even shut down the legalized extortion of patent trolls - an issue with bipartisan support.

What was your favorite moment of CES 2016?

When Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced that their service is available to almost every country and turned it on while on stage. Their stock jumped 10%!

Who are the real MVPs at CES? The technology or the people?

The real MVP is the innovations that will change our lives for the better.

How did you select the criteria for the scorecard? Did any states' scores surprise you this year?

Our latest Scorecard grades the innovation policies of every state and DC on 10 criteria, such as new jobs and new companies created in a state, number of science and engineering degrees granted and Internet speed. We also capture policymaking on disruptive innovation – ridesharing, homesharing, drones.

Hi Gary, thanks for doing this. Do you think the new VR devices like the Oculus rift will remain mainstream? or will they become a thing of the past like 3D tvs. Also do you think drones will become more prevelent in the lives of normal people in the coming years? Thanks. Im a big fan!

Virtual Reality is the future. For the record, I was never a huge enthusiast for 3D TVs, as I saw them as an over-hyped feature.

Drones will save lives and help with search and rescue, improve farming and aide in efficient transport, especially life-saving medications to hard-to-reach areas.

Do you ever fear that VR devices could present a negative threat to us as a society. I can easiy see kids coming home from school or adults coming home from work and putting on their VR device and just forgetting about life. Why try if you can visit the world through an Oculus?

With every new technology that emerges there is a distraction element, from the introduction of television to video games, to computers to smartphones to the Internet. These are real issues, and it is our responsibility as parents that every child has guidance and restrictions.

Q. Which Party & Candidate should people support if they want Patent Reform?

Again, to my knowledge Senator Marco Rubio is the only one who has taken a strong position against patent trolls. It is in his book, American Dreams: Restoring Economic Opportunity for Everyone. The other great supporter has been President Obama, but he is constitutionally limited and cannot run again.

Do you believe Patent Reform will pass if Trump or Clinton are elected? If so when?

I am still hopeful that patent reform will pass this year if enough reddit users contact their members of Congress today.

Will the Pro Patent Reform camp use the up coming election as a bargaining tool to press for Reform (if reform doesn't happen this year)?

While patent reform is a big issue for small businesses across the country, the average American has a number of other priorities that they want the presidential candidates to address.

Why is CES relevant?

CES is where innovation comes to market and over 150,000 innovation leaders in the world can gather. Where over 500 startups can show their ideas to people who can help them launch their businesses.

if CES is where innovation comes to market , why are there so many companies whose only purpose is to sell their products during the show without any innovation ?

Most companies consider their products to be innovative. Everyone has a USP, Unique Selling Proposition. Some companies innovation is price, design, delivery or service. The market decides.

What company do you want to see at CES that hasn't exhibited yet?

Apple sends hundreds of people to CES every year. We'd love to have them back as an exhibitor and keynoter.

What do you say to people who say there's no point in going to CES anymore because it's just too big?

It reminds me of the Yogi Berra saying, "no one goes to that restaurant anymore, it's too crowded!"

In your opinion, what can the people of a state do to improve their score?

Do you foresee any states making changes to attract innovators in the future?

This is an opportunity for startups to showcase their technology to policymakers, demonstrating the value and benefit of their technology. Lawmakers and regulators should attend shows like CES to experience the technology they are considering regulating. So far, we are seeing positive things out of Nevada and North Dakota; they are creating a favorable environment for drone technology. Las Vegas is creating the 1st drone airport – how cool is that!

West Virginia just became the 26th state to pass right to work laws improving drastically their upcoming grade.

I am really excited about the next scorecard; great things are happening for innovation.

What inspired you to pursue a career in technology/innovation? Was there a piece of technology or device that really affected you?

I really believe that technology and innovation will increasingly solve world problems. That inspires me. On a personal basis, GPS personally changed my life as I was continuously getting lost.

What is your opinion on the current Apple and FBI security issue?

As an industry, we can help fight against terrorism in different ways biometrics, facial recognition, microexpression and voice analysis. But we have to be careful that we don’t give tools to bad guys to also get into our systems. I have an entire op-ed on this: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/we-cant-make-easier-compromise-our-data-gary-shapiro?published.

Here is a good bipartisan view on this from Zoe Lofgren and Darrell Issa: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-lofgren-issa-fbi-apple-backdoor-20160301-story.html

How do we as consumers better protect ourselves from counterfeit/knockoff products? The hoverboard issue is clearly a big one with houses burning down, but I also think about something simple like a USB-C cord that could potentially damage a laptop or cellphone.

If a brand name product is being offered at a ridiculously low price by an unrecognized retailer, it is probably counterfeit or stolen.

I've been to CES 3 years in a row, and while it's always been a good experience, i'm feeling a little fatigue. Why should i come to to next year's event and not just follow online?

CES is a five-sense experience which allows you to not only experience 3,800+ companies vision of the future, but provides the value of face-to-face meetings where you can truly judge a person on whether you want to do business with them. Plus, serendipity and chance encounters inspire innovation, new ideas and new relationships. When honeymoons can be virtual, you can experience CES online completely.

Thanks for taking the time to do an AMA! I am a big fan of CTA and would love to work there someday. I'm interested in government affairs and currently work in DC for a small non-profit. Any suggestions or tips in moving forward with my career? Would an MBA help or hurt? Does CTA have offices in NYC?

What was your career path? Did you always want to work in tech and work for an association?

Thanks!

Great start by using reddit. Shows you are innovative and tech-smart. A MBA is good in that it shows you can work effectively in a team and think strategically. Increasingly, the ability to work across vertical industries, issues, departments is critical for career success. Before you interview with any firm, I suggest you spend a lot of time on their website and get to know them very well, otherwise you will flunk the interview.

What IOT application are you most excited about--or has the most potential?

Dear Duchess, the driverless car has a phenomenal ability to save millions of lives annually.

What growing tech trend are you most excited about?

Sensors have become so cheap and are being used in so many exciting ways that they will be used in healthcare, agriculture, transportation, education and entertainment.