Sign in with Google Shelly Palmer is the advanced media professor in residence at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications, and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consultancy that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media, and marketing. Here he shares five predictions for CES 2026 for marketers.
The views expressed in this perspective are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Google.
CES is the world’s largest and most influential consumer technology trade show. Every January, more than 140,000 executives, engineers, and investors descend on Las Vegas to see what’s next.
For CMOs, CES functions as a strategic planning session disguised as a trade show. The products on display today will shape consumer expectations, media channels, and purchase behaviors within the next 12 to 24 months.
Technology drives customer experience. AI personalizes every touchpoint. Connected devices generate the data that powers targeting and attribution. Emerging platforms create new surfaces for brand engagement.
For marketers at every level, CES is a highly reliable crystal ball. Wondering what will empower consumers in 12 months? Look at this year’s tech offerings. Want to know what consumers will be buying in 18 months? Pay attention to the products that will ship in Q3 of next year. Want to know what’s on the horizon? Spend time with the big manufacturers to see what’s on the drawing board. Wondering about potential investments or business opportunities? CES is the best place to formulate and test your technology-based ideas. It is one of my “not so secret” secret weapons.
AI will be incorporated into almost every technology you’re likely to see at the show, but there will be even more to see and do at CES 2026. I’m excited about innovations in media, fintech, consumer touchpoints, mobile and wireless, automotive, sustainability, and immersive experiences, just to name a few.
1. AI moves to the edge
AI processing is migrating from the cloud to the device. HP anticipates that half of all PCs sold by the end of 2026 will have dedicated AI processors built in. Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm will all announce new chips at CES, designed specifically for on-device AI. Every major laptop manufacturer will demonstrate machines that handle tasks locally that required cloud connections just 12 months ago.
On-device AI means faster responses, lower cloud costs, and sensitive data that never leaves the building. It also means AI that works without an internet connection.
2. The humanoid moment
Humanoid robots are leaving the lab and entering the workforce. Figure AI is testing robots at BMW’s manufacturing plant in South Carolina. Agility Robotics’ Digit operates in Amazon and GXO Logistics warehouses. Ubtech has partnerships with automakers BYD and Geely.
TrendForce forecasts global shipments of humanoid robots to exceed 50,000 units in 2026, marking over 700% year-over-year growth.
South Korea’s K-Humanoid Alliance, a consortium of more than 40 companies and universities, and backed by $770 million in government funding, will unveil a dedicated Robot Pavilion in North Hall. Unitree will showcase its G1 humanoid, now available for $16,000. Realbotix will demonstrate robots with realistic facial expressions and emotional recognition.
This is the year to start exploring which repetitive, physically demanding tasks humanoids will handle for us.
3. Smart home gets its brain
For years, smart home devices from different manufacturers refused to talk to each other. Your Philips lights couldn’t communicate with your Samsung thermostat, and your Ring doorbell ignored your LG appliances. Matter, an industry-wide standard backed by Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung, solves this problem.
LG will demonstrate a microwave with a 27-inch touch screen that doubles as a control center for your entire smart home, including devices from competitors. Ikea announced more than 20 new Matter-compatible devices launching in January 2026, including lighting, sensors, and remote controls. Security cameras, the last major holdout, will support Matter by year end.
The smart home finally works the way it should: Buy the best device in each category, regardless of manufacturer, and expect everything to work together. The format wars are over.
4. Agentic commerce arrives
Today, you search for products, compare options, and make purchases. Tomorrow, your AI agent will do this for you. McKinsey projects that AI agents, software that shops, compares, and purchases autonomously on your behalf, could influence $1 trillion in U.S. retail spending by 2030. CES Foundry at the Fontainebleau will dedicate two days (January 7 and 8) to AI and its implications.
5. Cars and energy: The infrastructure play
A car is a computer with wheels. Software now defines the driving experience as much as horsepower and handling. Sony Honda Mobility will show a version of its Afeela 1 EV plus a new concept. Honda’s 0 Series vehicles will demonstrate an operating system designed for hands-free, eyes-off driving, with production targeted for 2026. BMW, Hyundai, Waymo, and Zoox will exhibit alongside traditional automotive suppliers like Bosch, Valeo, and The ZF Company. AI-powered software creates value beyond the hardware. Vehicles are becoming platforms for services and personalization that will evolve long after you drive off the lot.
And then there’s power. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power will exhibit small modular reactors (SMRs) capable of producing 300 megawatts. Training large models and running them at scale demands reliable, always-on power that data center operators cannot fully source from existing infrastructure. Are SMRs the future? If so, everyone is going to want one.
Things to think about
If you’re new to CES (or even if you’re a veteran), schedule meetings with exhibitors in AI, robotics, and automotive before the floor gets crowded. Identify three vendors in each category you want to evaluate for potential partnerships or pilots. Brief your team on Matter interoperability so they can assess smart-home integrations against your product roadmap. Review your current cloud AI costs and prepare questions about on-device alternatives. Block time on January 7 and 8 for CES Foundry sessions on agentic commerce. If you’re thinking about robots, assign someone to document humanoid robotics demonstrations with video and pricing details. They could soon be the new new thing.
CES 2026 is going to be extraordinary. Three questions every CMO should carry through the show: Where does on-device AI reduce cloud costs and response times? Which robotics applications will reach commercial viability in the next 24 months? How will AI agents change the way we reach and retain customers?
Humanoids for $16,000. Small nuclear reactors for data centers. AI that never touches the cloud. The future is already built. CES is where you’ll see it at work.
