BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018		Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Retained earnings		$ 115,477			$ 117,245
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations		(440)		$ (52)
Assets	[1]	(358,109)			(369,245)
Cash and restricted cash		32,129	[2]	42,042	$ 43,967	[2]
Cash flows from operating activities		(1,390)		82
Cash flows from investing activities		$ (1,644)		2,709
Percentage of LIFO inventory					32.00%
ASU 2014-09 | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Retained earnings					$ (8,061)			$ (4,240)
Revenues					2,224		$ 220
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations					2,668		1,182
Assets					8,317
ASU 2014-09 | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 | Services
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Contract asset					8,255
ASU 2014-09 | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 | Aviation Commercial Engines
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Contract asset					1,755
ASU 2016-18
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cash and restricted cash					668		654
ASU 2016-15
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities					553
Cash flows from investing activities					553
ASU 2016-16
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Retained earnings					464
ASU 2015-11
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Retained earnings					(377)			$ (105)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations				$ (15)	$ (124)		$ (147)

[1] Our consolidated assets at March 31, 2018 included total assets of $3,927 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 $1,460 million within continuing operations and assets of discontinued operations of $280 million. Our consolidated liabilities at March 31, 2018 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 $(665) million within continuing operations. See Note 18.

[2] Includes restricted cash of $501 million and $668 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.