I feel like I’m gazing into a crystal ball as I write about CES 2026, but that’s the thrill of technology journalism—we’re always looking ahead. Having covered CES for the past seven years, I’ve developed a sense for how the industry’s biggest showcase evolves and what signals to watch for upcoming innovations. Let’s explore what we might expect when the tech world converges on Las Vegas in January 2026.
The metaverse buzz that dominated previous years has matured into something more substantial. According to recent projections from the International Data Corporation, the market for extended reality technologies will exceed $125 billion by 2026, suggesting CES will showcase significantly more refined AR and VR implementations. These won’t be limited to gaming—expect to see enterprise solutions that transform remote collaboration, healthcare applications that revolutionize surgical training, and education platforms that make immersive learning accessible to schools with varying resource levels.
“We’re moving beyond the novelty phase of XR technologies,” notes Dr. Maya Patel, director of emerging technologies at Stanford’s Digital Futures Lab. “At CES 2026, we’ll likely see solutions that address real human needs rather than just technological capabilities.”
Artificial intelligence continues its transformative march across the tech landscape. The AI demonstrations at CES 2026 will likely emphasize personalization at unprecedented scales. The home of 2026 won’t just be smart—it will be anticipatory, with systems that learn and adapt to individual household patterns in ways that feel almost intuitive.
My conversations with industry insiders suggest we’ll see a significant shift in how AI is integrated into consumer products. “The next frontier isn’t just putting AI in everything,” explains Thomas Chen, chief innovation officer at Ambient Computing. “It’s making AI invisible yet profoundly useful. Success will be measured by how rarely users need to think about the technology while benefiting from it constantly.”
Climate tech will take center stage as manufacturers respond to increasingly stringent regulations and consumer demand. The European Commission’s Circular Electronics Initiative, fully implemented by 2025, will influence global manufacturing standards visible at CES 2026. Expect revolutionary advances in battery technology, with several companies rumored to be unveiling solid-state batteries that charge in minutes and last for days.
The sustainability showcase will likely be twice the size of previous years, reflecting market research from Bloomberg NEF indicating that investments in climate tech startups have doubled since 2023. “We’re seeing technology companies compete on environmental credentials as much as processing power,” says environmental engineer Sophia Rodriguez.
Transportation technologies will evolve beyond the autonomous vehicle focus of previous years. Urban mobility solutions will demonstrate how AI, connectivity, and sustainability converge to address growing urbanization challenges. Several automakers are expected to showcase vehicles that integrate with smart city infrastructure, optimizing not just individual journeys but traffic flow across entire metropolitan areas.
The healthcare pavilion, which has grown significantly at each CES since the pandemic, will likely feature advanced remote monitoring technologies that make preventative care more accessible. Wearable health tech will move beyond tracking basic biometrics to providing actionable insights based on AI analysis of longitudinal data. The FDA’s new regulatory framework for AI in medical devices, finalized in late 2024, opens the door for more sophisticated consumer health products at CES 2026.
“The convergence of consumer electronics and healthcare creates unprecedented opportunities for preventative medicine,” Dr. James Williams of the Digital Health Association told me at a recent healthcare innovation summit. “The technologies we’ll see at CES 2026 could fundamentally change how people interact with healthcare systems.”
Privacy and security technologies will become more prominent as digital life becomes increasingly integrated. The Quantum Computing Security Alliance suggests we’ll see the first consumer-focused quantum-resistant encryption products at CES 2026, addressing growing concerns about data security in the quantum computing era.
The show floor demographics will continue their evolution. CES has transformed from a purely consumer electronics show to a broader technology showcase where automotive, healthcare, finance, and media companies compete for attention. This cross-industry convergence creates fascinating innovation opportunities where previously separate domains intersect.
My experience covering previous CES events suggests that the most interesting developments often happen away from the headline keynotes. The Eureka Park startup area consistently showcases solutions that major manufacturers adopt in subsequent years. Among the 1,200+ startups expected at CES 2026, we’ll likely find technologies that redefine entire product categories by 2028.
As exciting as these technological advancements are, CES 2026 will also reflect growing concerns about technology’s societal impact. Expect panels addressing algorithmic bias, digital divide issues, and technology’s role in either mitigating or exacerbating climate change. The tech industry’s accountability moment has arrived, and CES 2026 will reveal which companies are genuinely addressing these challenges.
While predictions about technology’s future are notoriously difficult, one thing remains certain: CES 2026 will showcase both evolutionary improvements to existing technologies and revolutionary concepts that challenge our assumptions about what’s possible. As our digital and physical worlds continue merging, the innovations we’ll see in Las Vegas will shape how we live, work, and connect for years to come.
