CES officially kicked off yesterday and runs through Friday. We’re here on the ground in Las Vegas, where AI is no longer framed as a future technology but as the operating layer beneath nearly everything on display. This year’s show reflects an industry that has moved decisively from experimentation into deployment, according to Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes the annual Consumer Electronics Show.
“The big picture is obviously artificial intelligence,” Shapiro said Friday in an extensive hour-long interview on the AI XR Podcast that I co-host. “It has a bigger footprint, greater pre-registration, and a record number of innovation entries.” More than 3,000 products were submitted to the CES Innovation Awards this year, with AI appearing across consumer devices, enterprise systems, and industrial platforms, he noted.
That scale is visible across the show floor. CES 2026 introduces CES Foundry, a new area at Fontainebleau Las Vegas dedicated to AI and quantum computing startups, demos, and networking. Nvidia has centered much of its presence there, reinforcing the shift toward infrastructure, developer tools, and training as core themes. “We added a whole new portion of the show called CES Foundry,” Shapiro said, describing it as a place where “the community comes together with demos and networking and content.”
Health technology remains one of the clearest examples of AI moving into daily use. Wearables are expanding beyond watches into rings, glucose monitoring, sleep tracking, and body-specific sensors. Shapiro emphasized the practical impact. “We’re seeing it more immediately in health care,” he said, pointing to AI-driven analysis of medical records, personalized treatment, and remote monitoring as ways to address physician shortages and rising costs.
Robotics is another area seeing its largest presence yet. CES has historically featured industrial robotics, but this year extends further into service robots, mobility systems, and assistive technologies. “Robotics is simply AI with all the mechanical stuff added,” Shapiro said. Applications range from agriculture and construction to logistics and elder care, with a focus on efficiency, safety, and precision.
Policy and regulation will play a more visible role at CES 2026. The show includes appearances by U.S. senators, federal regulators, and White House science and technology leadership.
Shapiro expressed concern about the United States’ fragmented regulatory environment. “In 2025, there were over 1,200 bills introduced in state legislatures,” he said. “The harm that could be done is enormous, especially to smaller companies and startups.” He argues that inconsistent state rules create barriers to innovation and investment, while large firms are better positioned to absorb compliance costs.
Manufacturing and supply chains are also a focus, shaped by tariffs and geopolitical tension. CES adds its first dedicated manufacturing track this year. Shapiro described executives spending more time on tariffs than innovation over the past year, even as companies continue to adapt. “They’re plugging along,” he said. “They’re fighting for survival, and they’re doing some really creative things that solve real problems.”
Despite AI’s dominance, Shapiro stressed that CES remains fundamentally about people. “Face-to-face human interaction still matters,” he said, particularly in a world shaped by deepfakes and synthetic media. Many companies now use CES as a moment to bring teams together, hold board meetings, and meet investors in person. “Trust will always be important,” Shapiro said.
For first-time attendees, Shapiro’s advice remains pragmatic. Focus on one major venue per day, wear comfortable shoes, use the CES app, and accept that it is impossible to see everything. “Pick the stuff you’re interested in,” he said. “Meet and talk to the people. Don’t try to constantly walk from place to place trying to see as much as you can.”
CES has always reflected the state of the technology industry. In 2026, AI defines that state embedded everywhere, reshaping products, platforms and priorities across the global economy.
We’ll pause there and circle back in part 2 of this series with a deeper dive on all the AI on display at CES…
Charlie Fink is the author of the AR-enabled books “Metaverse,” (2017) and “Convergence” (2019). In the early 90s, Fink was EVP & COO of VR pioneer Virtual World Entertainment. He teaches at Chapman University in Orange, CA.