“How useful is it actually, but also how good is the software?” Sag says. “Everybody’s going to have some kind of AI—AI earbuds, AI glasses. But if the software sucks, they’re going to be useless.”
Beyond Wearables
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 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.
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.
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.
The CES 2026 extravaganza begins with media previews on Monday, January 5. The CES expo hall opens on Tuesday, January 6. Most of the announcements come those first two days, but the show runs through the end of the week.
