Key Takeaways
- AI will be a dominant trend at CES 2026, with companies incorporating it into various gadgets and devices
- Smart glasses will be a major focus, with many companies trying to commercialize them and balance style, utility, and AI features
- TV tech will be a significant area of innovation, with companies pushing new display technologies and integrating AI into TVs
- EVs and mobility will have a large presence at the show, with a trend towards returning to physical and tactile in-car controls
- Smart home technology will be retrofitted with AI, and humanoid robots and robot vacuums will be showcased
Introduction to CES 2026
CES 2026 is just around the corner, and the tech world is abuzz with excitement. Although the official start date is January 6, companies have already begun to tease their upcoming products and announcements. As a regular Gizmodo reader, you can expect to see a plethora of innovative gadgets and technologies showcased at the event. This year’s CES is expected to be more packed than ever, with companies revitalized by the promise of AI and its various applications. From automation to generative AI, companies are daring to push the boundaries of what is possible.
The Ubiquity of AI
AI will be an inescapable trend at CES 2026. Companies like Samsung, LG, Lenovo, and Razer will be boasting about the AI features in their products, from laptops and mobile devices to home appliances and transportation. While some of these applications may be genuinely innovative, many will likely be AI features for their own sake, overpromising and underdelivering. As reporters, we will have to navigate the AI minefield and separate the useful from the useless. The most useful AI functions will be those that work invisibly in the background, making our lives more convenient without being overtly noticeable.
The Rise of Smart Glasses
Smart glasses will be a major focus at CES 2026. Companies are trying to commercialize them, balancing style, utility, and AI features. However, the current offerings have too many tradeoffs, and it is unclear if consumers want smart glasses that do everything. We can expect to see a wide variety of designs and offerings, from mono and dual-lens waveguide screens to video glasses with XR functions. While no single blueprint for smart glasses has emerged, the variety of designs will continue to grow. Smart glasses will outnumber XR and VR headsets, and the metaverse will take a backseat to AI as the new hot trend.
TV Tech and Innovation
TV makers will be pushing hard to make their latest display technologies seem like must-haves. We can expect to see new TVs with improved micro RGB, WOLED, and other technologies that may be difficult for consumers to understand. AI will also be integrated into new TVs, with companies like Google replacing their old voice assistants with new ones like Gemini. However, it remains to be seen how much AI will be useful and how much will be mere gimmickry. We can expect to see higher frame rates, with refresh rates pushing the envelope for gaming. The question is, how high will TV makers go, and will it be useful or just a spec sheet battle?
EVs and Mobility
CES 2026 will have a significant presence of EVs, automotive, and mobility tech. We can expect to see more EVs with absurd top speeds, longer ranges, and displays plastered inside their interiors. There will also be more e-bikes and e-scooters that blur the line with motorcycles. A trend towards returning to physical and tactile in-car controls is expected, with carmakers and consumers realizing that good ol’ buttons are more user-friendly while driving. AI will also be crammed into the dashboard, along with promises of self-driving tech.
Smart Home and Robotics
The smart home will have a huge presence at the show, but it will be retrofitted with AI, making it less groundbreaking. Google Assistant is being replaced by Gemini, and Alexa is being upgraded to Alexa+. However, these upgrades are mostly on the backend, and the intelligence part is not quite there yet. What will be more interesting is seeing intelligence merge with robotics within the home. Humanoid robots that can lift things and do chores, and beefed-up robot vacuums that can climb stairs, will be showcased. While they may not be commercially available soon, they will give us an idea of whether we are closer to the sci-fi dream of having a real-life C-3PO to do our bidding.
Consumer Tech and Gadgets
CES 2026 will be filled with the usual new laptops and PCs, home entertainment systems, wearables, audio, cameras, transportation, and mobile accessories and computer peripherals. The show will be a heaven of gadgets, and by the end of it, the Gizmodo consumer tech team will be exhausted but will have taken in the whole spectacle of it all. CES is the best place to preview the future, or rather, ideas of what the future looks like. With so many innovative technologies and gadgets on display, it will be exciting to see which ones will make a significant impact on our lives.