Sprawling CES gadget fest a world stage for AI and its hype

Dreams in regards to the huge potential of synthetic intelligence will collide with chilly, arduous actuality because the Consumer Electronics Show kicks off in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Science fiction portrays AI as superintelligence that may function sooner and higher than folks can, and do it autonomously.

However, the know-how for now could be being put to work at very specialised duties, in devices that translate languages throughout conversations, say, or monitor well being signs, or present info on folks’s environment by means of sensible glasses.

Even AI being constructed into humanoid robots stays a piece in progress, with human tele-operators overseeing their operation remotely.

“The gap between AI technology hype and customer experience expectations will widen at CES 2026,” predicted Forrester principal analyst Thomas Husson.

“If software and AI models move at the speed of light, energy and hardware move at the speed of physics.”

Nonetheless, he expects CES to function an array of “AI-powered smart everything devices” for shoppers, together with televisions, house home equipment, private computer systems, autos, and wearables corresponding to rings that monitor well being.

Analysts count on the annual commerce occasion, which drew greater than 142,000 attendees final yr, to be a sprawling affair with distributors pitching merchandise from humanoid robots and exoskeletons to AI-infused toys and big autonomous mining autos.

With 1000’s of exhibitors, the week-long gathering consists of linked automobiles, heavy tools and AI exhibits. Demos, shows and conferences will happen in an enormous conference middle in addition to ballrooms and suites all through the town.

“There’s no question that some of it is going to be AI washing,” Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart mentioned of hype anticipated at CES.

“But we will also see genuinely useful features driven by advances in machine learning that provide new capabilities into a range of products, everything from phones to TVs to wearables to digital health to cars.”

Smart glasses, like these from Meta in a partnership with Ray-Ban, will possible kick-start an AI wearables race with some 10 % of shoppers attempting them by the tip of this yr, in accordance with Husson.

Greengart mentioned he expects an emphasis on private computer systems due to a rivalry amongst Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm to provide chips that present numerous AI functionality whereas trimming energy use to increase battery life.

Greengart cautioned that there’s a “huge cloud hanging over the PC industry” attributable to hovering costs for computing and reminiscence chips.

With chip makers targeted on serving wants of AI information facilities, provides of fundamental constructing blocks for laptops or gaming consoles have dwindled as costs have soared, in accordance with Greengart.

“AI is definitely a story that overlays CES in terms of new capabilities, but also new price pressures,” Greengart mentioned.

And whereas main Chinese shopper electronics firms like Lenovo, Hisense, and TCL are slated to participate in CES, many small manufacturing companies from that nation might be absent because of the commerce warfare with the United States, in accordance with the analyst.

“There is definitely a smaller presence from Chinese vendors than there has been under past administrations,” Greengart mentioned, referring to US President Donald Trump.

“This is very much a geopolitical thing.”

Electronics firms have been grappling with frequent, unpredictable technique shifts with regards to US tariffs, he mentioned.

“It’s been very distracting and very difficult in areas where the president of the United States has basically changed tariffs or imposed tariffs over 100 times since being sworn in,” mentioned Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Technology Association which runs CES.

Still, CES stays a gathering at which offers get made and assembly face-to-face has worth, in accordance with Greengart.

“CES isn’t where you go necessarily to find the next big thing.”

“But what you do see at CES is a clear view on the trends and where investment in the industry is happening.”

Published – January 05, 2026 09:05 am IST