Key Points
- “Physical AI” was the main theme of CES 2026, with a focus on robotics and automation.
- Chip designer Arm has created a new unit to target the booming robotics market.
- Humanoid robots were widespread, but most were slow and still in early development.
- Dozens of smaller gadgets, from hair clippers to dry cleaners, were given an AI makeover.
Just four years after ChatGPT brought artificial intelligence to the masses, the tech world has fully embraced it. At this year’s CES in Las Vegas, it seemed like every company had a new “AI-powered” device to showcase. The big theme of the show was the shift from AI software to “physical AI,” with robots, humanoids, and self-driving cars taking center stage.
The biggest names in tech laid out their vision for a smarter, more automated future. Chip designer Arm announced a new “physical AI” unit to focus on the booming robotics market.
Chinese PC giant Lenovo hosted a huge event at the Las Vegas Sphere to unveil its new AI voice assistant. And companies from LG to smaller startups showed off humanoid robots that could do everything from play poker to fold paper pinwheels.
However, many of these robots were still moving at a “glacial pace,” highlighting the challenges developers still face with battery life and processing power. It seems a truly useful and affordable humanoid robot is still a long way off.
Beyond the flashy robots, there was a whole host of smaller, more practical gadgets with an AI makeover. We saw AI-powered hair clippers, lawnmowers, and even a dry cleaning machine that can detect a garment’s material and clean it in three minutes. Some of these devices seemed genuinely useful, while others felt more like a marketing gimmick.
Underpinning all of this is the race to build the next generation of AI chips. Both Intel and AMD announced new processors designed specifically for “AI PCs,” which promise to be faster, more efficient, and more secure.
But even as the hardware improves, the big question remains: will consumers actually care enough to buy these new AI-powered devices? For now, the industry is betting big that the answer is yes.
