CES 2026 is wrapping up in Las Vegas, as participants from the consumer tech sector are heading back. The event featured numerous disclosures from major players such as Nvidia, Sony, and AMD, alongside emerging businesses and startups that showcased their innovations at the Unveiled event (CES’s showcase for new products) and throughout the exhibition.
Consistent with the previous two years, AI remained a central theme for many exhibitors. However, the traditional hardware innovations and unusual gadgets characteristic of the annual show were still present. Notably, physical AI emerged as this year’s trending subject, succeeding last year’s focus on agentic AI. This emphasis on physical AI was closely linked to a significant presence of robotics, with demonstrations and showcases of robots widespread across the event and in various press conferences.
For a detailed account of our team’s live reactions and insights, our live blog is available here. Otherwise, we’ll now explore some of CES’s most significant and remarkable announcements.
Equity sums up the highs, and lows, of CES 2026
For those who prefer audio or video content, our latest Equity podcast episode offers an in-depth review of our impressions from the event, or you can view the complete episode on YouTube below.
Nvidia reveals AI model for autonomous vehicles, showcases Rubin architecture
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang presented a lengthy keynote at CES, celebrating the company’s achievements in AI, outlining plans for 2026, and notably, interacting with robots.
The Rubin computing architecture, engineered to satisfy the growing computational needs driven by AI integration, is slated to succeed the Blackwell architecture in the latter half of this year. It offers enhanced speed and storage; our senior AI editor Russell Brandom provides a detailed analysis of Rubin’s distinct features.
Nvidia further advanced its initiative to integrate AI into real-world applications by unveiling its Alpamayo suite of open-source AI models and tools, scheduled for use in autonomous vehicles this year. As senior reporter Rebecca Bellan points out, this strategy aligns with the company’s wider goal of establishing its infrastructure as the standard for general-purpose robots.
AMD’s keynote highlights new processors and partnerships
AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su opened CES with a keynote, featuring a range of partners such as OpenAI President Greg Brockman, AI luminary Fei-Fei Li, Luma AI CEO Amit Jain, and more.
In addition to presenting its partners, senior reporter Rebecca Szkutak covered AMD’s strategy to broaden AI’s presence in personal computing with its Ryzen AI 400 Series processors.
The standout oddities of CES
Frankly, by this stage of the event, the key announcements and product displays are complete, making it an opportune moment to highlight some of CES’s most surprising discoveries. We’ve compiled an initial list of peculiar and remarkable items, and we welcome further recommendations!
Highlights from CES breakout sessions
CES offers more than just hardware displays and exhibition floor spectacles; numerous industry panels and speakers also capture significant attention. We tracked several noteworthy moments, including Palmer Luckey’s advocacy for retro designs, discussions on the potential end of the ‘learn once, work forever’ paradigm, sneak peeks of the new Silicon Valley-focused series ‘The Audacity,’ the growth of Roku’s $3 streaming service, and All-In host Jason Calacanis’s offer of a $25,000 reward for a genuine Theranos device.
Ford’s AI assistant debuts
Ford is introducing its new AI assistant within its app, ahead of a planned 2027 vehicle integration. The assistant leverages off-the-shelf LLMs and is hosted on Google Cloud. However, as our report indicated, specific details regarding the driver’s expected experience with the assistant were limited.
Caterpillar, Nvidia partner on automated construction equipment
In a continuous effort to bring AI into physical applications, Caterpillar and Nvidia revealed a pilot initiative, “Cat AI Assistant,” demonstrated at CES on Wednesday. This system, destined for Caterpillar’s excavator vehicles, is being developed concurrently with a separate project utilizing Nvidia’s Omniverse simulation capabilities to enhance construction planning and execution.
Hands-on with Clicks Communicator
Among the show’s most talked-about introductions is Clicks Technology’s first phone, the $499 Communicator, which evokes BlackBerry nostalgia with its integrated physical keyboard. Additionally, a standalone $79 slide-out physical keyboard is available for use with other gadgets.
Our comprehensive report from the exhibition floor is available here, and Consumer Editor Sarah Perez notes that the Communicator made a favorable initial impression:
“During our practical assessment, the phone felt comfortable to hold—neither excessively heavy nor light, and offered a secure grip. Gadway informed me that the company finalized the device’s shape after numerous 3D-printed prototypes. The chosen design for the phone incorporates a contoured back for effortless handling.
“Moreover, the device’s screen is slightly raised from the main body, and its bottom edge is curved upwards, forming a protective indentation for the keys when placed face down.”
LG’s home robot CLOiD makes a sluggish first impression
LG’s CES presentation heavily featured its robotics initiatives, with the CLOiD home robot taking center stage. How did the robot perform beyond the controlled press conference environment? We’ll share Senior Writer Lucas Ropek’s direct observations:
“Regrettably, during the demonstration I observed, CLOiD’s actions were limited. I watched the robot delicately retrieve a shirt from a basket and put it into a dryer. It also gently picked up a croissant and (again, very gingerly) placed it into an oven. Beyond this live display, the presentation included polished videos showcasing the robot in various imagined situations where it could benefit prospective users.”
eufyMake UV printer is an Etsy maker’s dream
UV printers, which apply ink directly to objects, have historically been too costly for personal ownership, despite their widespread industrial use. However, the eufyMake E1, launching later this year at $2,299, aims to make bulk printing on items such as mugs, water bottles, and phone cases more accessible to individual creators. Lucas Ropek offers further initial impressions here.
A new way to find and purchase office space
MyCommuters introduces an innovative approach to office space acquisition by assisting companies in locating sites that benefit both the business and its workforce. The platform aggregates various datasets to analyze commute times, costs, and other criteria, pinpointing optimal office locations rather than simply the most obvious available options. Sean O’Kane provides additional insights into Guillaume Acier’s motivation for founding the company here.
Check out the Skylight Calendar 2
The Skylight Calendar 2, a family management tool, captured our attention at the exhibition. Beyond its scheduling and organizational features, it boasts AI functionalities that allow it to synchronize calendars from various origins, generate new tasks from messages or images, provide appointment alerts, and much more. Our complete review is available here.
Boston Dynamics and Google partner on Atlas robots
During its press conference, Hyundai highlighted its robotics collaborations with Boston Dynamics. The firms disclosed a partnership with Google’s AI research lab—rather than rivals—to train and operate current Atlas robots, alongside a newly unveiled version of the humanoid robot. Transportation editor Kirsten Korosec provides comprehensive details.
Amazon expands Alexa, Ring’s footprints even further
Amazon’s AI-focused Alexa+ update received significant promotion at CES. The company introduced Alexa.com, allowing Early Access customers to interact with the chatbot through their web browsers, complemented by a redesigned, bot-centric app. Consumer editor Sarah Perez covers these details, as well as Amazon’s enhancements to Fire TV and its new Artline TVs, which also feature Alexa+ integration.
Regarding Ring, consumer reporter Ivan Mehta outlines numerous announcements, including fire alerts, a new app store for third-party camera integration, and additional features.
Razer joins the AI deluge with Project AVA and Motoko
Historically, Razer’s CES showcases have featured extravagant hardware, such as triple-screen laptops, haptic gaming cushions, and even a mask that resulted in a federal penalty for the company. This year, two key announcements generating buzz were for Project Motoko, designed to offer smart-glasses-like functionality but without the actual glasses.
Additionally, Project AVA presents an AI companion avatar for your desktop. We encourage you to view the concept video for more insight.
Lego Smart Bricks mark the company’s first CES appearance
Making its debut at CES, Lego hosted a private demonstration of its Smart Play System. This system features interactive bricks, tiles, and Minifigures capable of playing sounds, with the initial sets themed after Star Wars. Senior writer Amanda Silberling provides comprehensive information here.