In Las Vegas, CES 2026 did not seek to impress with trickery, and impressed people with the density, maturity and coherence of the innovations presented. For Vincent DucretCEO of Hub Institutewhich we receive live from Las Vegas to debrief this edition, 2026 marks a tipping point. Rarely will the show have shown, simultaneously, several structural transformations already engaged in their execution phase.
The CES has become a space for immediate reading of the industrial and technological balance of power.
From an electronics show to a global strategic platform
Created more than half a century ago by the American electronics industry, CES has long been the meeting place for buyers and distributors of consumer products. We came there in January to anticipate what would be marketed on a large scale at the end of the year. Over the years, the show has moved towards B2B, then towards large systems: automobile, industry, energy, smart cities, media, digital infrastructure. In 2026, this shift is fully assumed. The CES now brings together global innovation in the broad sense, and especially the decisions that accompany it.
The figures give the measure of the phenomenon: more than 140,000 participants, more than 150 countries represented, nearly 4,500 exhibitors, spread over more than 230,000 m² and several sites in the city. But the most revealing indicator is not quantitative. It is due to the nature of the visitors: managers of large groups, international CEOs, industrial managers and public decision-makers were present in unusual numbers. Their movement reflects an awareness: the technologies presented are no longer about exploration, but about short-term structuring choices.
Three simultaneous dynamics, a rare occurrence
According to Vincent Ducret, the 2026 edition is distinguished by the convergence of three major waves of innovation, reaching maturity at the same time.
First wave: physical AI and the industrialization of humanoids.
Artificial intelligence is definitely moving beyond the software framework to become embodied in machines capable of acting in the real world. Industrial robots, autonomous systems, humanoids: the boundary between code and matter becomes operational. Where previous editions exhibited components for smartphones or connected objects, CES 2026 highlights mechanical parts, joints and structures intended for robots.
Humanoids dedicated to research and training coexist with industrial robots whose first firm orders are appearing, particularly in assembly lines. Then come logistics and service applications, before even more prospective domestic or educational uses. The determining point is less the diversity of scenarios than the level of finish: the systems presented are designed to be integrated, produced and deployed, it is concrete.
Second wave: connected glasses as a credible post-smartphone interface.
The question of “post-iPhone” has haunted the industry for over a decade. At CES 2026, it takes on a new consistency. Several players, mainly Asian, presented glasses capable of projecting information directly into the field of vision, without significant ergonomic disruption. The devices remain discreet, light, and sufficiently advanced to be tested in real professional contexts.
The announced prices, between 300 and 500 euros for the first models, position these products in a pre-launch phase. But the perspective is known: rapid miniaturization, lower costs, gradual diffusion. Once the use has been adopted (contextual access to information, real-time assistance, hands-free interaction), the change in interface becomes difficult to reverse.
Third wave: the vehicle as a data platform.
The automobile is completing its transformation. Manufacturers no longer present themselves as augmented mechanical manufacturers, but as data companies integrating hardware, software and artificial intelligence. Announcements from groups like Geely, or Xpeng illustrate this change: vehicles capable of moving autonomously to reach their owner, direct delivery from the factory, interfaces entirely controlled by voice.
In the cockpit, the screen ceases to be central. AI becomes the main interface, orchestrating navigation, entertainment, security and interaction with the environment. The vehicle becomes closer to an intelligent companion, integrated into broader mobility ecosystems.
A technological balance of power now visible
CES 2026 acts as a geopolitical revealer, the Chinese presence there was particularly striking, both in terms of the volume and the quality of the products exhibited. The innovations presented are mature, ready to be industrialized, and not limited to demonstrators. Shenzhen appears to be the main center of gravity for physical AI and intelligent hardware.
Faced with this advance, strategies diverge, the United States highlights industrial relocation and control of production chains, as illustrated Boston Dynamicswhich insists on domestic production of its robots. Europe, in comparison, displays a more discreet presence, a few industrial players are visible, but the ecosystem appears less dense, particularly on the startup side.
This gap is not only technological and questions the European capacity to maintain industrial autonomy in key segments where hardware, software and AI are now inseparable.
CES, a market more than a show
Final lesson, most of the CES is no longer played out only in the exhibition halls. Private suites, demonstrations by invitation, executive meetings and informal negotiations now constitute a decisive part of the show. The “off” has become a strategic space, where partnerships, acquisitions and industrial roadmaps intersect.
