CES 2026 Technology Trends | How Real-World AI Is Changing Business

By Michael LeBlanc | Founder and CEO

When my son Cooper and I arrived in Las Vegas for CES 2026, it had been six years since I last attended the show. Back then, CES felt impressive. This year, it felt overwhelming in the best possible way.

CES started in 1967 and has grown into something only Las Vegas can handle. More than 130,000 people. Nearly every major convention space in the city. After three straight days of walking, standing, and absorbing information nonstop, Cooper and I were completely wiped out. But we were also energized in a way that only happens when you feel like you have just witnessed a real shift.

This year, CES was not about novelty. It was about capability. The biggest change I saw was simple but profound. Artificial intelligence has moved off the screen and into the physical world.

Why CES 2026 Matters to Business and Technology Leaders

People sometimes ask why I attend CES at all, especially as the owner of a communications, networking, and security company.

For me, this show is part of my responsibility as a CEO. Research and development does not only happen in labs or conference rooms. It happens by seeing patterns early, understanding where technology is heading, and thinking about how those developments will affect customers long before they become mainstream.

CES is one of the few places where consumer technology, enterprise systems, industrial machinery, healthcare, mobility, and infrastructure all collide. When you walk the floor long enough, you stop seeing individual products and start seeing direction.

That direction was very clear this year.

CES Innovators Show Up Sign

CES 2026 Technology Trends Viewed Through a Business Lens

CES is often labeled a consumer electronics show, but that label misses the bigger picture. While there were plenty of consumer products, what I paid attention to were the underlying technologies that eventually move into business, municipal, and infrastructure environments.

AI was everywhere. But the real question I kept asking was whether it had become useful yet.

This year, the answer felt like yes.

We saw meaningful improvements in business productivity tools, networking systems, wireless technologies, and embedded intelligence. These were not proof-of-concept demos. These were systems designed to operate reliably in real-world conditions.

That distinction matters when technology leaves the lab and becomes something people depend on.

Vegas Loop Sign

Global Technology Innovation Trends Shaping the Future of AI

One thing that stood out to both Cooper and me was how much innovation is now coming from South Korea, China, and Taiwan.

Historically, a familiar pattern was that American companies invented something and others perfected it and took it to market. Walking the CES floor this year, that pattern felt outdated. Many of the companies driving robotics, AI hardware, wearables, drones, and home automation are now leading innovation outright.

That has real implications for U.S. competitiveness and for how seriously we need to take STEM education if we want to keep pace. This was not a one-off impression. It was visible booth after booth.

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Real-World AI: How CES 2026 Showed AI Moving Into Physical Machines

The defining theme of CES 2026 for me was seeing AI embedded directly into machines that interact with the physical world.

Caterpillar provided one of the clearest examples. In one example, the CEO explained how their newer equipment integrates AI systems that can restrict how high the arm can go up when there are power lines overhead. This will override a command from the operator, keeping them and the machine safe.

We saw the same shift in agriculture. Kubota showcased autonomous platforms designed for large-scale farming. I will admit my first reaction was not analytical. The kid in me thought, why would anyone want to take the fun out of driving this thing?

Then I started thinking about labor shortages, safety, and the realities of running large operations. Autonomy in this context is not about removing enjoyment. It is about keeping businesses operating.

This Agtonomy site seems to include other manufacturers, as well. This tech is a game changer!

We also walked up to some of the largest John Deere equipment I have ever seen, fully loaded with advanced technology. As someone who did not grow up around large-scale farming, seeing those machines up close was eye-opening. This is what physical AI looks like. Machines that see, sense, decide, and act in real environments.

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Kubota Versatile Robotic Platform (KVPR)

Kubota had its Kubota Versatile Robotic Platform (KVPR) with bucket loader on display.

John Deere

Since I’m on the topic of large machines, we came across the largest John Deere we suburban folk have ever seen. Whoa! And of course it was loaded with tech.

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Practical AI in Everyday Technology

Not everything that impressed us was industrial. Some of the most compelling examples were everyday machines becoming genuinely smarter.

Pool cleaning robots from companies like Dreame and Aiper now use cordless, autonomous operation with vision systems and LiDAR to detect debris and clean intentionally. Some models can climb out of the pool on their own and recharge using either a cord or a solar panel. That is thoughtful design, not a gimmick.

Vacuums - Dreame Pool Vac

Health Technology Trends at CES 2026: From Data Collection to Action

Health tech was everywhere at CES, and for the first time it felt mature.

Wearables are no longer just collecting endless streams of data. They are summarizing information using AI and integrating that insight directly into electronic medical records (EMR). Instead of overwhelming users and clinicians with numbers, these systems are starting to provide context. Healthcare providers and innovators have fully adopted CES as their venue of choice to find and introduce products to make us healthier.

Smart rings were especially prevalent. We counted eight or nine companies offering them. Some now integrate continuous monitoring and blood testing. One of the many that also offers blood tests is Ultrahuman. The shift from raw data to usable insight felt like a real step forward.

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Smart Glasses and Extended Reality Use Cases at CES 2026

We saw many smart-glasses companies demonstrating their products. One killer app I had never thought of is to use glasses as a teleprompter! Imagine you’re doing a TED talk and don’t want to spend weeks memorizing the whole thing (which is one of a few strategies). If the text is well constructed to sound natural, reading it will be fine. One model of glasses even used AI to track what you are saying to ensure the teleprompter does not get ahead or fall behind of what you are saying. (That’s brilliant!)

One of my favorite moments happened outside the show floor. On the plane ride home, the guy next to me watched an entire movie using XR glasses with noise-canceling headphones. He told me "you feel like you’re sitting 6-10 feet away from a very large (130-150”) home-projector screen watching a movie."

These are the kinds of use cases that make technology fade into the background and let people focus on the experience.

Drones, Regulation, and Real-World AI Deployment

The drone category highlighted the tension between innovation and regulation.

We were impressed by the Insta360 and Antigravity 8K 360-degree drone. The footage through VR goggles was impressive, and the controller felt intuitive and natural. At the same time, DJI was not present due to ongoing regulatory challenges in the U.S. I found a fascinating story on a European Union site that describes the fierce drama between the market leader, DJI and Yinling/Insta360.

Unfortunately, DJI and potentially other Chinese drone makers have been banned in bringing new products into the US since December 2025, because the US Government has failed to do a promised audit of their security risk. This is a SERIOUS problem for the US. I saw blog posts from many local fire departments and US Park Rangers who use these products daily for safety reasons. I hope we get this resolved soon, as currently there are no serious US companies making products to replace DJI, which is the largest player by far.

Innovation does not exist in isolation. Policy decisions have real operational consequences.

Conference Room and Collaboration Technology Trends

One moment at CES that really hit home for me was seeing how far conference room cameras have come. Many of you know how much we have liked the Owl Pro 360-degree camera over the years. Then we saw what Insta360 is doing.

Their new Link 2 conference camera honestly puts the Owl to shame at a fraction of the price. It delivers sharper video, smarter framing, and a level of polish that used to require much more expensive hardware.

You can find it on Amazon, but if you go directly to the Insta360 site, they gave us a CES discount code. CES2026 takes 20 percent off their regular price. Yes, this is another product we bought at the show. It is a great example of how professional-grade technology is becoming more accessible without sacrificing quality.

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AI Safety Systems in Commercial and Fleet Environments

While we were in the Innovation Award area, we came across a few winners that reminded me that some of the most important technology is focused on prevention, not convenience.

One that really stood out was Smart Eye AB, which develops advanced driver monitoring systems for commercial vehicles. Their technology uses cameras and AI to track eye movement, gaze direction, and other subtle behavioral signals that can indicate impairment, including drowsiness and the tell-tale patterns associated with intoxication.

The Hidden Infrastructure Powering Modern Technology

One of the most important parts of CES is also the least flashy.

OEMs building LiDAR systems, batteries, chips, and sensors filled entire halls. These companies are building the components that make physical AI possible.

Ostation made the Ecolast 1.5v AA smart rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries.

Mark my words! Soon you will see AA and AAA batteries everywhere that you recharge with a USB-C cord. GAME CHANGER! No more buying 100 packs from Amazon and polluting the environment. We saw at least 5 companies offering AA/AAA batteries with USB-C plug-in.

Apparently Home Depot offers some now!

USB-C Rechargeable Batteries

Amazon Had Their Own Pavilion

Amazon’s Role in AI, Security, and Connectivity Infrastructure

New tech from Amazon is heating things up. The Ring camera is getting a massive upgrade. Now they have panoramic models up to a 360-degree field of view. This is coming closer to the commercial cameras we sell at CCi Voice, but of course these are for home-use.

They will also be launching their own Starlink-style satellite Internet service called Amazon LEO (“low-earth-orbit,” I presume).

They will have three sizes of antennas, relating to the speed they offer (100mb, 400mb or 1 Gigabit). I'm sure you know that Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder, launched Blue Origin to launch rockets to space. He is using both SpaceX and his own company to launch his satellites. No word on pricing or dates of go-live yet.

Robotics, Humanoids, and Experimental Technology at CES

Robots were everywhere, including humanoid robots and robot dogs. We watched robot ice cream get made. From the “existing tech but seldom seen in real life” department, there was a motorized suitcase you can sit on and ride through airports. Cooper rode with impressive confidence, even though the storage space was tiny and I have never actually seen one used in an airport. (Too bad, because it would make traveling SO much fun.) Those moments remind you that experimentation is part of progress.

Notable CES 2026 Technology

My parents used to have a 40-foot RV they drove around the country. Nothing like having everything with you, right? We saw an upscale and VERY high-tech version of an RV that has all the bells and whistles.

In the same category, we found a product from Evotrex - a luxurious camping trailer with a gas power electric generator to extend the range of an EV truck with a power hookup cable.

Evotrex Trailer

Sports and Performance Technology Trends at CES 2026

I was hoping for more golf tech, but a few things stood out.

The Garmin Approach R50 remains my favorite simulator and launch monitor. It is currently the highest rated (and extremely affordable at under $5K) unit that does not need a PC (it’s built-in). Someday soon we plan to add this in our room above the garage.

We also saw an Innovation Award winner called G-Grip Pro, which uses sensors in a golf club to provide verbal coaching feedback after only a handful of swings. That kind of feedback feels closer to working with a real instructor.

Once again, AI was acting, not just reporting.

Consumer Technology That Signals Bigger Business Trends

My absolute favorite new product (so much so that I bought one) is the Echo Flask, made by Echo Water. It’s a molecular hydrogen water bottle. It is a very easy to use water bottle that creates H2 (concentrated hydrogen — the H2 of H2O) to act as an antioxidant.

There are some clinical trials on this technology to improve our health, but it is still new. I have a larger one I keep in the office, but this one is compact and portable.

Assistive and Mobility Technology Improving Independence

What's a Tech Show Without Massage Chairs? This year, the standout product in the “you have to sit in it to understand it” category was the BodyFriend 733. Cooper spent a very happy ten minutes in the chair, which immediately caught my attention.

What makes this chair different is not just comfort. It separates the movement of the arms and legs, allowing for a much more tailored and natural experience than traditional massage chairs that move the body as a single unit. That design choice matters.

This benefits older adults and anyone with limited mobility. Unlike most massage chairs, the BodyFriend 733 offers a stand-up entry and exit process, which dramatically reduces strain and risk. That may sound like a small detail, but it is the difference between a product being impressive and a product being usable.

The company recommends about 15 minutes per day for optimal health benefits. Honestly, sign me up. It is a great example of technology that prioritizes independence, accessibility, and real quality of life improvements, not just features. You can learn more about the chair and its full set of benefits directly on BodyFriend’s website.

AI Infrastructure

DEEPX is a very valuable consortium of most of the tech companies we all know and use today. It started 10 years ago. Its founder spent decades in the data center/semiconductor industry… enough to know that we were headed in the wrong direction for our environment.

Their mission is to move AI tech locally, to the hardware on your devices and not in cloud servers. This entire section of the show hall was dedicated to helping save the earth through innovative, DIFFERENT tech for AI. Fingers crossed!

DEEPX CEO Letter