At CES 2026, Everything Is AI. What Matters Is How You Use It
The AI Revolution at CES 2026: Separating the Signal from the Noise
As the world's top tech companies gather in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), one thing is clear: artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. From smart glasses to health sensors, AI is being packed into every new device, making it harder to differentiate between products. But what does this mean for consumers, and how can we cut through the noise to find the real innovation?
The AI Bubble: Is It a Boom or a Bubble?
The rush to incorporate AI into every product has led to a saturation point, where stating "AI" doesn't really do anything. According to Anshel Sag, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, "Everything is AI now, so nothing is AI." This means that competing products may use AI capabilities to do all the same things, but the differences that make one win out over the other may come down to which one can figure out how to best deploy the software.
The Software Maturity Story
Sag emphasizes that the AI revolution is really a software maturity story. While this may not be very sexy, it's essential to understand that the success of AI-powered products depends on the quality of the software. Take smart glasses, for example. A heap of smart glasses will be announced at CES this year, but any new specs will have to compete with Meta, which has carved out quite a lead with its best-selling smart glasses. Meta has been able to refine its user experience and design for years now, and its execution is unmatched.
Beyond Wearables: AI Proliferates into New Products
Right now, AI is on your face and arms – smart glasses and smart watches – but this year will see it proliferate further into products like earbuds, headphones, and smart clothing. Health tech will see an influx of AI features too, as companies aim to use AI to monitor biometric data from wearables like rings and wristbands. Heath sensors will also continue to show up in newer places like toilets, bath mats, and brassieres.
The Smart Home Gets Smarter
The smart home will continue to be bolstered by machine intelligence, with more products that can listen, see, and understand what's happening in your living space. Familiar candidates for AI-powered upgrades like smart vacuums and security cameras will be joined by surprising AI bedfellows like refrigerators and garage door openers.
OpenAI's Gadget Strategy: What's Next?
Many in the AI gadget business may decide to hold their breath to see what OpenAI's new gadget strategy looks like. The company has revealed that its first consumer tech products will be personal devices – a home audio player and a note-taking pen, reportedly – though those aren't expected to arrive for at least another year, and there could be more in store.
The Future of In-Car AI
And of course, CES is still very much a car show. The vehicles we see in Las Vegas are typically just design concepts, but they do clearly show how automakers are thinking about how the in-car experience is evolving with the help of LLMs, cameras, and machine intelligence. Right now, in-car AI can adjust the radio and help you find a charging station, but as we'll see this week, it'll soon be doing more.
Conclusion
As the AI revolution continues to shape the tech industry, it's essential to separate the signal from the noise. With so many products claiming to be AI-powered, it's easy to get lost in the hype. But by focusing on the quality of the software and the real-world applications of AI, we can cut through the noise and find the innovation that truly matters. As we head into CES 2026, one thing is clear: the future of tech is AI, and it's going to be exciting.
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Source: https://www.wired.com/story/ces-2026-what-to-expect/
