CES 2026: Key Technologies, AI, and Gadgets of the Year
12.01.2026
5 mins read
Introduction
The CES 2026 exhibition, held in Las Vegas from January 6 to 9, has solidified the new status of the consumer technology industry: the era of "wow demos" is over. CES 2026 is not about futurism for the sake of futurism, but about practical, scalable, and commercially viable technologies.
While CES 2024-2025 focused on generative AI and experimental form factors, in 2026 the focus shifted to questions of:
- where AI is genuinely saving money 💰
- which devices can be mass-produced 📦
- which technologies are ready for implementation in the next 12-18 months ⚡
According to The Verge and CNET, over 40 journalists from leading tech publications selected the best innovations from the exhibition that will truly change the market.
This article presents a systematic overview of CES 2026: key trends, devices, and takeaways for business, marketing, and technology.
Contents
- What Changed at CES 2026
- AI as Infrastructure, Not a Feature
- New Device Form Factors
- Smart Homes and Next-Generation Cities
- Cars and Mobility
- Health, Biosensors, and Personal Medicine
- 12 Most Significant Announcements at CES 2026
- What CES 2026 Means for Business
- Takeaways
What Changed at CES 2026
The main difference of CES 2026 from previous years is pragmatism 🎯
Whereas companies used to showcase concepts for the future, now:
✅ devices have ready supply chains
✅ AI models are optimized for energy efficiency
✅ most solutions are targeted at B2B and enterprise, not just the mass market
As noted by Forbes, CES 2026 concluded with three main themes: robots 🤖, China 🇨🇳, and AI everywhere 🧠
CES 2026 is all about implementation, not experimentation.
AI as Infrastructure, Not a Feature
AI at CES 2026 has definitively ceased to be a standalone product 🚀
Key Shifts:
Edge AI — computing is shifting from the cloud to the device ☁️➡️📱
AI is embedded in:
- 📺 TVs
- 🏠 Home appliances
- 🚗 Cars
- 🏥 Medical devices
The growth of specialized AI chips has become the main theme of the exhibition.
Breakthrough AI Solutions:
🏆 Nvidia Rubin — the loudest announcement from the most profitable company in the world. The platform includes six new chips that work together to reduce the cost of AI data processing (tokens). This is critically important as AI models become increasingly resource-demanding.
🏆 Lenovo Motorola Qira (winner in the Best AI category) — a hybrid AI assistant that utilizes a combination of local processing and cloud models. This is Lenovo's response to Apple Intelligence, available on all devices in the ecosystem — from smartphones to laptops.
🏆 Intel Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake) (winner of Best Deep Computing Tech) — processors with 12 new Xe3 graphics cores, providing Intel's best integrated graphics for the mass market.
💪 AMD Ryzen AI Max Plus 392/388 — processors with 40 RDNA 3.5 graphics cores, 60 TFLOPS of computational power, and 192 GB of unified memory, democratizing the power of workstations. AMD CEO Lisa Su also introduced the MI440X chip for AI data centers.
Companies like NVIDIA, Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm showcased that the future lies in local AI models that operate without a constant internet connection 📡
New Device Form Factors
CES 2026 became the year of rethinking form factors 📐
Main Directions:
👓 smart glasses with AI assistance
📱 flexible and modular displays
🎙️ devices without traditional screens — with voice and gesture control
🤝 personal AI companions
Revolutionary Form Factors:
🏆 Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold (winner of Best Mobile Tech) — a three-fold smartphone that looks like a regular phone when closed and transforms into a 10-inch tablet when opened. This is the culmination of Samsung's efforts in creating versatile foldable devices.
🎮 Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept (winner of Best Gaming) — the first gaming laptop with a foldable OLED display that turns into an ultra-wide screen. Rollable technology has finally moved beyond the corporate segment.
💼 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition (winner of Best Laptop) — a flagship business laptop with a modular Space Frame design that allows for replacing individual components instead of purchasing a new device. An important step towards sustainability ♻️
Important: many of these products already have announced release dates — unlike concepts from previous years ⏰
Smart Homes and Next-Generation Cities
The smart home theme at CES 2026 has matured 🏡
Key Highlights:
🎛️ unified AI panels for home control
⚡ energy consumption automation
🌆 integration with urban infrastructure
🔧 predictive maintenance of systems
As Mashable notes, CES 2026 was filled with smart home gadgets that truly matter. The trend of the year is not new product categories, but enhanced features and lower prices for essential elements like smart lighting, locks, cameras, and TVs.
Breakthroughs in Smart Homes:
🏆 Lego Smart Play System (winner of Best Future Tech) — a smart brick sized 2×8, filled with light, sound, and proximity sensors. This innovation opens up new possibilities for play — from light sabers ⚔️ to tabletop games with color and sound effects. The Verge called this a semi-secret feature with enormous potential.
🏆 Willo (winner of Best Energy Tech) — a revolutionary wireless charging technology that can transmit power through the air for multiple devices simultaneously, regardless of their position or movement. No stands, coils, or docks needed 🔌
Solutions from Samsung, LG, and Panasonic demonstrate the shift from "smart gadgets" to smart ecosystems 🌐
Cars and Mobility
The automotive area of CES 2026 is one of the largest 🚗
Key Trends:
🤖 next-generation driver AI assistants
🛣️ level L3–L4 autonomous driving
📱 adaptive cabin interfaces
🔄 vehicle ecosystem as a service
According to The Verge, Sony and Honda announced that their electric vehicle Afeela will begin deliveries to customers at the end of 2026 ⚡
Manufacturers are increasingly moving away from discussing "self-driving cars" and focusing more on safety, UX, and data 🛡️
Health, Biosensors, and Personal Medicine
HealthTech is one of the fastest-growing segments of CES 2026 🏥
Showcased:
⌚ wearable biosensors
😴 AI analysis of sleep, stress, and metabolism
🏠 home diagnostic devices
💻 integration with telemedicine
Breakthrough in Age Tech:
🏆 Tombot Jennie (winner of Best Age Tech) — a realistic puppy robot 🐕, that has been showcased for years at CES, is finally hitting the market in 2026. The device is designed to help elderly people with dementia combat loneliness. Jennie is equipped with sensors and motors that allow it to move its head, raise its eyebrows, wag its tail, and bark.
A key trend — the transition from fitness gadgets to medical solutions, including pre-diagnosis 🩺
12 Most Significant Announcements at CES 2026
Over 40 journalists from CNET, Mashable, PCMag, ZDNET, and Lifehacker selected the official winners of Best of CES 2026. Here are the most significant announcements from the exhibition:
1. 📱 Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold 🏆 Best Mobile Tech
A three-fold smartphone that looks like a regular phone when closed and transforms into a 10-inch tablet when opened. A practical two-in-one device that fits in your pocket.
2. 🧱 Lego Smart Play System 🏆 Best Future Tech
A smart brick 2×8 with light, sound, and proximity sensors. Opens up new possibilities for play — from light sabers to interactive board games.
3. 🚀 Nvidia Rubin 🏆 Best AI (finalist)
A platform with six new chips to reduce the cost of AI data processing. Critically important for scaling AI models.
4. 💻 Intel Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake) 🏆 Best Deep Computing Tech
Processors with 12 Xe3 graphics cores — the best integrated graphics from Intel for the mass market.
5. 💼 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition 🏆 Best Laptop
Modular Space Frame design allows for replacement of individual components — an important step towards sustainability ♻️
6. 🔊 Samsung Music Studio 5 🏆 Best Audio
A home speaker with a 4-inch woofer and two tweeters. Supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Samsung Seamless Codec.
7. 🎮 Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept 🏆 Best Gaming
The first gaming laptop with a foldable OLED display for an ultra-wide gaming screen.
8. ⚡ Willo 🏆 Best Energy Tech
Wireless charging through the air for multiple devices simultaneously — without stands or coils.
9. 🤖 Lenovo Motorola Qira 🏆 Best AI
A hybrid AI assistant with local processing and cloud models, available on all devices.
10. 🐕 Tombot Jennie 🏆 Best Age Tech
A puppy robot for elderly people with dementia. Helps combat loneliness with realistic movements and sounds.
11. 📺 Samsung Micro RGB Backlit R95H TV
A 130-inch TV with Micro RGB LED technology, providing 100% BT.2020 color space coverage for HDR content. CNET called it one of the most impressive products of the exhibition.
12. 💪 AMD Ryzen AI Max Plus 392/388
Processors with 40 RDNA 3.5 graphics cores, 60 TFLOPS, and 192 GB of memory. Democratizing the power of workstations for thinner and more affordable devices.
What CES 2026 Means for Business
CES 2026 sends a clear signal to the market 📊
🧠 AI
From a "marketing overlay" → to infrastructure. AI is no longer a feature, but the foundation of all modern devices.
📱 Gadgets
Fewer screens, more context. Devices are getting smarter and understanding what you need without constant interaction.
🏢 B2B
Growth of corporate and industrial solutions. CES 2026 technologies are focused on business, not just consumers.
💾 Data
Local processing is more important than the cloud. Edge AI wins — privacy and speed come first.
🎨 UX
Real-time adaptation to the user. Devices learn and adjust to your habits.
♻️ Sustainability
Modular designs and reparability. You can replace a broken part instead of purchasing a new device.
⚡ Energy
Wireless transmission and autonomy. A future without wires and charging stations is becoming a reality.
For startups and companies, this means:
✅ Focus on real benefits, not hype
✅ Shortening time-to-market
✅ Growing demand for integration solutions
✅ Edge AI is more important than cloud computing
✅ Modularity and sustainability as a competitive advantage
Takeaways
CES 2026 demonstrated the maturity of the industry 🎯
AI is no longer an experiment, devices are not toys, and technologies are not abstractions.
Main conclusions from the exhibition:
1. 🧠 AI has become infrastructure — it is embedded in everything from TVs to cars
2. 📐 Form factors are evolving — foldable, rollable, and modular devices are reaching the mass market
3. ♻️ Sustainability is important — modular designs and reparability are becoming the norm
4. 📱 Edge AI wins — local data processing is more crucial than cloud computing
5. 🎯 Pragmatism over futurism — not the most futuristic ideas win, but the most applicable ones
If you work in the field of technology, marketing, business, or products — it is important right now to follow not the hype, but what solutions are truly coming to market 🚀
According to CES.tech, the exhibition confirmed that the future is already here — and it is more practical than we thought ⚡
👉 Follow tools, AI services, and technology innovations on AIMarketWave.com — we only select what truly works. 💡
