GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Financial Position (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Cash and equivalents		$ 43,299		$ 48,129
Investment securities		38,696		44,313
Receivables - net		41,076		42,263
Inventories		21,923		22,354
Property, plant and equipment - net		53,874		50,518
Investment in subsidiaries		0		0
Goodwill and intangible assets		104,242		86,875
All other assets		68,923		55,917
Assets of discontinued operations		5,912		14,815
Total assets		377,945	[1]	365,183	[1]	$ 493,071
Liabilities and equity
Short-term borrowings		24,036		30,714
Accounts payable		15,153		14,435
Other current liabilities		38,211		36,431
Long-term and non-recourse borrowings		110,556		105,496
All other liabilities		103,899		93,434
Liabilities of discontinued operations		706		4,158
Total liabilities	[1]	292,561		284,668
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		3,399		3,025		2,972	$ 98
GE shareowners' equity		64,263		75,828		98,274
Noncontrolling interests		17,723	[2]	1,663	[2]	1,864	$ 8,674
Total equity (Note 14)		81,986		77,491		100,138
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity		377,945		365,183
Cash and cash equivalent balances within subsidiaries		43,299		48,129		70,483
Subsidiary Guarantor | Affiliated Entity
Liabilities and equity
Cash and cash equivalent balances within subsidiaries		15,225		28,516
Net assets of discontinued operations		4,318		6,012
Reportable Legal Entities | Parent Company Guarantor
Assets
Cash and equivalents		3,275		2,558
Investment securities		1		1
Receivables - net		50,923		63,620
Inventories		4,829		4,654
Property, plant and equipment - net		5,808		5,768
Investment in subsidiaries		289,469		272,685
Goodwill and intangible assets		8,014		8,128
All other assets		30,688		14,692
Assets of discontinued operations		0		0
Total assets		393,008		372,107
Liabilities and equity
Short-term borrowings		191,807		167,089
Accounts payable		7,930		5,412
Other current liabilities		11,408		11,072
Long-term and non-recourse borrowings		71,023		68,983
All other liabilities		43,078		43,722
Liabilities of discontinued operations		0		0
Total liabilities		325,247		296,279
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0		0
GE shareowners' equity		67,761		75,828
Noncontrolling interests		0		0
Total equity (Note 14)		67,761		75,828
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity		393,008		372,107
Cash and cash equivalent balances within subsidiaries		3,275		2,558		4,137
Reportable Legal Entities | Subsidiary Issuer
Assets
Cash and equivalents		0		0
Investment securities		0		0
Receivables - net		17,316		17,157
Inventories		0		0
Property, plant and equipment - net		0		0
Investment in subsidiaries		0		0
Goodwill and intangible assets		0		0
All other assets		16		44
Assets of discontinued operations		0		0
Total assets		17,332		17,202
Liabilities and equity
Short-term borrowings		0		1
Accounts payable		0		0
Other current liabilities		8		33
Long-term and non-recourse borrowings		16,632		16,486
All other liabilities		475		511
Liabilities of discontinued operations		0		0
Total liabilities		17,116		17,030
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0		0
GE shareowners' equity		216		171
Noncontrolling interests		0		0
Total equity (Note 14)		216		171
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity		17,332		17,202
Cash and cash equivalent balances within subsidiaries		0		0		0
Reportable Legal Entities | Subsidiary Guarantor
Assets
Cash and equivalents		3		3
Investment securities		0		0
Receivables - net		32,381		30,470
Inventories		0		0
Property, plant and equipment - net		0		0
Investment in subsidiaries		77,488		80,481
Goodwill and intangible assets		0		0
All other assets		32		39
Assets of discontinued operations		0		0
Total assets		109,904		110,992
Liabilities and equity
Short-term borrowings		46,033		46,432
Accounts payable		0		0
Other current liabilities		3		117
Long-term and non-recourse borrowings		34,730		34,389
All other liabilities		128		481
Liabilities of discontinued operations		0		0
Total liabilities		80,894		81,419
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0		0
GE shareowners' equity		29,010		29,573
Noncontrolling interests		0		0
Total equity (Note 14)		29,010		29,573
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity		109,904		110,992
Cash and cash equivalent balances within subsidiaries		3		3		0
Reportable Legal Entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and equivalents		40,768		46,994
Investment securities		39,809		47,394
Receivables - net		87,776		79,401
Inventories		22,246		21,076
Property, plant and equipment - net		48,516		46,366
Investment in subsidiaries		715,936		492,674
Goodwill and intangible assets		90,226		42,074
All other assets		237,231		201,276
Assets of discontinued operations		0		0
Total assets		1,282,507		977,255
Liabilities and equity
Short-term borrowings		22,603		25,919
Accounts payable		77,507		47,366
Other current liabilities		26,666		25,095
Long-term and non-recourse borrowings		55,367		68,912
All other liabilities		67,845		58,376
Liabilities of discontinued operations		0		0
Total liabilities		249,988		225,667
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		2,627		2,223
GE shareowners' equity		1,028,337		747,719
Noncontrolling interests		1,556		1,647
Total equity (Note 14)		1,029,892		749,366
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity		1,282,507		977,255
Cash and cash equivalent balances within subsidiaries		40,768		46,994		86,955
Consolidating Adjustments
Assets
Cash and equivalents		(747)		(1,426)
Investment securities		(1,113)		(3,082)
Receivables - net		(147,321)		(148,385)
Inventories		(5,152)		(3,377)
Property, plant and equipment - net		(450)		(1,615)
Investment in subsidiaries		(1,082,893)		(845,840)
Goodwill and intangible assets		6,002		36,673
All other assets		(199,044)		(160,134)
Assets of discontinued operations		5,912		14,815
Total assets		(1,424,806)		(1,112,372)
Liabilities and equity
Short-term borrowings		(236,407)		(208,727)
Accounts payable		(70,284)		(38,343)
Other current liabilities		126		114
Long-term and non-recourse borrowings		(67,197)		(83,273)
All other liabilities		(7,627)		(9,656)
Liabilities of discontinued operations		706		4,158
Total liabilities		(380,684)		(335,727)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		772		802
GE shareowners' equity		(1,061,061)		(777,463)
Noncontrolling interests		16,167		16
Total equity (Note 14)		(1,044,894)		(777,447)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity		(1,424,806)		(1,112,372)
Cash and cash equivalent balances within subsidiaries		$ (747)		$ (1,426)		$ (20,609)

[1] Our consolidated assets at December 31, 2017 included total assets of $6,200 million of certain variable interest entities (VIEs) that can only be used to settle the liabilities of those VIEs. These assets included current receivables and net financing receivables of $1,720 million and investment securities of $918 million within continuing operations and assets of discontinued operations of $300 million. Our consolidated liabilities at December 31, 2017 included liabilities of certain VIEs for which the VIE creditors do not have recourse to GE. These liabilities included non-recourse borrowings of consolidated securitization entities (CSEs) of $685 million within continuing operations. See Note 20.

[2] Included AOCI attributable to noncontrolling interests of $(226) million and $(278) million at December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.