LAS VEGAS — CES 2026 officially opens Tuesday (Jan. 6) at a time when AI is no longer a shiny new toy, but, rather, an integrated — and integral — part of every day life.
This year the world’s largest technology show will present AI not as a trend, but as a foundational technology that is revolutionizing industries by becoming embedded in everything from TVs, autonomous vehicles and advanced robotics to energy management and personalized healthcare. Even more so than at last year’s show, the focus has shifted from hype to real-world deployment, with keynotes, new product launches, and dedicated zones such as the “CES Foundry” highlighting AI’s pervasive deployment.
“CES is where innovators show up, and this year AI is at the center of nearly every conversation,” Gary Shapiro, executive chair and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), owner and producer of CES, told Media Play News. “From the show floor to the keynote stage, leaders from across industries are demonstrating how these innovations move into the real world and how together we solve the world’s biggest challenges.”
Independently audited data for last year’s show, CES 2025, revealed a total of 142,465 participants from across the globe. This year, Shapiro said, “all signs point to a phenomenal CES, with thousands of exhibitors, a record 3,600+ Innovation Award submissions, and innovation across 13 venues and 2.6 million net square feet.”
New this year is the CES Foundry, located at Fontainebleau Las Vegas and aimed at uniting innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, government officials, and media to explore how AI and quantum technologies are defining the next era of innovation.
“This year, AI is accelerating innovation across every sector,” Shapiro said. “CES Foundry will serve as a hub for the innovators leading that charge, and I’m looking forward to the ideas that will emerge.”
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The CES Foundry will feature two stages, the Breakthrough Stage and the Discovery Stage. Programming will alternate between the two, including panel discussions, fireside chats, and thought-leader conversations featuring influential voices in technology.
Entertainment hasn’t been in the CES spotlight since the heyday of DVD and Blu-ray Disc, but the rise of streaming — and the growth in ad-supported models — hasn’t gone unnoticed. At the Jan. 4 Tech Trends to Watch presentation, Melissa Harrison, VP of marketing and communications for CES producer the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), called out “the rise of ad-supported streaming” as a primary driver in a projected 4.2% uptick for 2026 in consumer spending on software and services.
Accordingly, the cluster of streamers and their enablers typically holed up at the Aria-Cosmopolitan-Vdara complex in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip includes Amazon Prime Video, Disney Advertising Sales, Netflix, Xumo, and NBCUniversal Media (parent of Peacock), along with Meta, Reddit, Roku and X.
Netflix’s presence isn’t as showy as it was two years ago, when it took out a massive booth on the CES 2024 show floor for an immersive activation to promote the series “3 Body Problem.” But the top streamer promises a raft of private meetings, many of them centered around its pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets. Netflix is also focusing on emerging technologies such as AI, gaming and metaverse experiences, leveraging its recent acquisition of avatar AI technology company Ready Player Me.
CES 2026 will also feature more than 350 conference sessions and over 1,300 speakers. Sessions will focus on the pervasive integration of AI and robotics across various industries. Other major topics include digital health, advanced mobility, smart homes, energy, and the creator economy.
Keynote addresses at CES 2026 will be delivered by such high-powered business executives as Dr. Lisa Su, chair and CEO of AMD; Siemens president and CEO Dr. Roland Busch; Havas CEO and chairman and Vivendi chairman Yannick Bollor; Lenovo chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang; and Caterpillar CEO Joe Creed.
In addition, an assortment of celebrity guests will participate in conference programming, sponsored sessions and special events throughout the show. Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian will participate in the Great Minds session “Back to the Future: Tech’s Nostalgic Revolution.” Hank Shocklee, a member of the hip hop group Public Enemy, will speak on an “Innovation for All” panel. RZA (Bobby Diggs), rapper, producer, actor, filmmaker and leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, will speak on the panel “From Concept to Reality: Creatives Using AI to Bring Big Ideas to Life.” And Serena Williams, entrepreneur and 23-time Grand Slam champion, will speak on the “Insights to Action: The Power of Biowearables” panel.
Policymakers from across the world will discuss domestic and global tech policy issues including privacy, trade, competition, and more. More than 200 international, federal, state and local government officials and staff participate in the Leaders in Technology Program and attend the Innovation Policy Summit (IPS) at CES.
Exhibits in the Las Vegas Convention Center are, as usual, grouped by industry segment. The LVCC Central Hall will showcase the latest innovations in home entertainment and living. This is where the big CE companies set up their massive booths to showcase the latest innovations in televisions. The Central Hall is also home of the CES Creator Stage.
Exhibits in the North Hall focus on smart communities, IoT, AI and robotics. The South Hall is home to accessories and gadgets. And the West Hall is devoted to mobility, from self-driving cars to construction, agriculture, boating and advanced air travel.
The C Space at the Aria, Cosmopolitan and Vdara hotels is where top brands, advertisers, media platforms, and content creators meet to forge deals, explore trends and unveil the latest technologies.
The Venetian is home to smart living, including digital health, smart home, energy management, security, education, lifestyle and food tech. The Venetian is also home to the CES Innovation Awards Showcase.
And Eureka Park at The Venetian is CES 2026’s Startup Hub, with global pavilions and emerging companies from the United States, the European Innovation Council (EIC), France, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, Japan, Netherlands, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and others.
“The new mark pays homage to our roots — the iconic ‘CES fins’ — while embracing the future,” according to the CTA. “The intersecting elements symbolize our industry’s connections with society, creating a frame to envision a world where technology seamlessly integrates with our lives to make it a better place. The space between the intersecting elements symbolizes the profound, yet often invisible, relationship of technology and humanity — a bond that CTA and CES have championed for decades.”
