The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 concluded in Las Vegas, marking the industry's annual gathering for technological announcements and showcases. As in previous years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) remained a central theme across numerous companies' messaging, with a particular emphasis on "physical AI" this year, succeeding agentic AI as the prominent buzzword. This focus was prominently displayed alongside extensive demonstrations of robotics across the show floor and in various press events. For a detailed recap, reactions, and thoughts from the team on the ground, a live blog was available, and the latest episode of the Equity podcast provided an in-depth audio discussion of the show's highlights.

Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang delivered a comprehensive presentation, celebrating the company's AI-driven achievements and outlining its 2026 strategy, which included interactions with robots. A significant revelation was the Rubin computing architecture, designed to address the escalating computational demands of AI adoption. The Rubin architecture, slated to replace the Blackwell architecture in the latter half of 2026, promises substantial speed and storage enhancements. Nvidia also furthered its initiative to integrate AI into the physical world by presenting its Alpamayo family of open-source AI models and tools, intended for use in autonomous vehicles throughout the year. This strategy positions Nvidia's infrastructure as an "Android for generalist robots," as noted by senior reporter Rebecca Bellan.

AMD's keynote, led by chair and CEO Lisa Su, featured collaborations with notable partners such as OpenAI president Greg Brockman, AI expert Fei-Fei Li, and Luma AI CEO Amit Jain. Beyond these partnerships, AMD detailed its efforts to broaden AI accessibility through personal computers, leveraging its new Ryzen AI 400 Series processors. The show also highlighted a variety of quirky and noteworthy reveals, capturing attention beyond the major product announcements, with a dedicated list compiled for these standout oddities.

Breakout sessions at CES offered additional insights and discussions. Topics ranged from Palmer Luckey advocating for retro aesthetics, to exploring why the "learn once, work forever" era may be over, to previews of the new Silicon Valley-based series "The Audacity," to the expansion of Roku's affordable $3 streaming service. A notable moment included All-In host Jason Calacanis offering a $25,000 bounty for an authentic Theranos device.

Ford announced the imminent launch of its AI assistant within its company app, ahead of a planned vehicle integration in 2027. This assistant, hosted by Google Cloud and developed using off-the-shelf Large Language Models (LLMs), offered limited details regarding expected driver experiences. In a related push for AI's physical impact, Caterpillar and Nvidia unveiled a pilot program, the "Cat AI Assistant," demonstrated on a Caterpillar excavator vehicle. This initiative is complemented by another project utilizing Nvidia’s Omniverse simulation resources for construction project planning and execution.

Among the show's most talked-about product debuts was the Clicks Communicator phone from Clicks Technology. Priced at $499, this device evokes a BlackBerry aesthetic with its integrated physical keyboard. Additionally, a separate $79 slide-out physical keyboard was introduced for use with other devices. Consumer Editor Sarah Perez noted its positive first impression, highlighting its comfortable grip, contoured back, and a screen elevated with a curved chin to protect the keys.

LG showcased its robotics endeavors, featuring the home robot CLOiD. However, its live demonstration presented a somewhat sluggish performance, as Senior Writer Lucas Ropek observed it gingerly performing tasks like moving a shirt into a dryer or placing a croissant into an oven. These real-time interactions contrasted with highly produced promotional videos depicting the robot in various practical scenarios.

In personal manufacturing, the eufyMake E1 UV printer, priced at $2,299 and set for a later 2026 launch, aims to make industrial-grade UV printing more accessible to individuals. This technology allows direct ink printing onto objects such as mugs, water bottles, and phone cases. Furthermore, MyCommuters introduced a novel platform for identifying optimal office spaces, utilizing diverse datasets to analyze commute times, expenses, and other critical factors for businesses and their employees.

The Skylight Calendar 2, a family planning tool, garnered attention for its AI capabilities. It can synchronize calendars from multiple sources, generate new to-do lists from messages or photos, and provide appointment reminders. On the robotics front, Hyundai's press conference revealed a partnership between Boston Dynamics and Google's AI research lab. This collaboration focuses on training and operating existing Atlas robots, alongside a new iteration of the humanoid robot that was presented onstage.

Amazon expanded its AI presence with Alexa+, launching Alexa.com for early access customers to interact with the chatbot via web browsers, complemented by a similar revamped bot-focused app. Consumer editor Sarah Perez also reported on Amazon's updates to Fire TV and new Artline TVs, which integrate the Alexa+ functionality. Concurrently, Amazon's Ring brand announced several updates, including fire alerts and an app store for third-party camera integration.

Razer, known for its innovative hardware at previous CES events, shifted its focus to AI-driven concepts this year. Project Motoko envisions smart glasses without the physical glasses, while Project AVA introduces an AI companion avatar designed for desktop interaction. Lastly, Lego made its inaugural appearance at CES, privately showcasing its Smart Play System. This system features interactive bricks, tiles, and Minifigures that can communicate and produce sounds, with the initial sets designed around a Star Wars theme.