CES 2026: Trends & Outlook – The Era of Technological Rationalization

The 2026 edition of CES – Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas confirmed what many already suspected: artificial intelligence is no longer a spectacular gadget designed solely for show. It now permeates all areas of innovation and comes in two fundamental forms, which dominated this edition, reflecting a profound rationalization of its uses:

• Physical AI, where intelligent systems no longer just reason but act in the real world;
• Embedded AI, integrated into everyday objects, vehicles, and infrastructure, in order to produce concrete and measurable benefits.

This transition from peak expectations, fueled by an often spectacular experimentation phase, to a plateau of productivity and stabilized usage, as illustrated by Gartner's Hype Cycle, among others, resonates strongly with recent discussions in the #TechTalk episode devoted to the Swiss Data & AI Observatory and the consolidated results in 2025 regarding the reality of the integration of these technologies within Swiss SMEs in French-speaking Switzerland.

From "shadow AI"—this "clandestine" AI, used individually by employees, effective on a small scale but invisible to the organization and risky in terms of compliance—to the first prototypes, the 2025 results validate the transition to a more structured integration phase, while outlining the challenges ahead.

Smart home: between the latest testing ground and practical integration space for Edge AI

The connected home is establishing itself as one of the last areas of expression for hyperactive and versatile inventors, like some robotic innovations that are still sometimes fanciful, at best unconvincing, at worst... than as a coherent ecosystem in which embedded AI finds its place, turning the home into a smart infrastructure capable of mapping complex environments, controlling smart energy systems, and even adapting consumption and production in real time.

Mobility: from the spectacular to the invisible (but useful)

While spectacular concept cars have long served as showcases, 2026 reveals a different dynamic: manufacturers prefer to highlight their software platforms, advanced voice assistants, and tangible improvements to driver assistance systems. New features are no longer judged by the size of the central screen, but by the stability of the onboard AI, local data management, and the systems' adaptability. Further proof that automotive innovation is becoming primarily software-driven.

Case study: BMW iDrive 10 with advanced voice assistant, intent recognition, continuous updates, and contextual understanding of gestures and gaze.

Digital health: a structural need, a "moral obligation"

Digital health is establishing itself as one of the pillars of the show. Biometric devices, home clinical devices, assisted diagnosis platforms: AI is playing an increasingly central role. This reality is echoed in the new episode of #TechTalk dedicated to the AI Health Hub at Campus Biotech. Our three guests highlight two crucial issues for Switzerland:

• a delay in integrating AI into medical practices
• a healthcare system under strain that needs to be transformed.

The message is clear: AI should not only be adopted for innovation, but because it can—and must—improve efficiency, quality of care, and patient experience. The CES shows that the tools exist: it is now up to healthcare systems to embrace them.

Case study: L'Oréal DermaTech Mask, an LED mask equipped with embedded AI capable of adjusting light and intensity according to the condition of the skin measured in real time (awaiting approval by the FDA – Food and Drug Administration).

Industry & deep tech: physical AI enters the factory

In areas dedicated to industry, the paradigm shift is palpable. The swisstech Pavilion showcased Swiss solutions ranging from precision robotics to solid-state batteries, brain-machine interfaces, and additive manufacturing.

Industrial robotics, once limited to repetitive movements, is becoming adaptive and autonomous. This trend was confirmed by Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, who opened his keynote speech by stating:

"The entire industry is being reinvented. The ChatGPT era for physical AI has arrived: machines are beginning to understand, reason, and act in the real world."

The parallel with the observations made by the Manufacture Thinking mission in Japan is striking: dark factories, ultra-automated and AI-driven, already heralded this convergence between software AI and physical robotics. CES 2026 now presents its global variations.

Case study: MetalPrinting is exhibiting a desktop metal 3D printer (Gauss MT90) that uses metal paste extrusion, which is safer and less expensive than traditional powders, paving the way for distributed manufacturing, including in SMEs.

What is happening in the background

Open source is gaining ground

A discreet but significant movement is emerging: Nvidia has published one of its models on the Hugging Face platform, and Linux is becoming ubiquitous in IoT, automotive, and televisions. This gradual opening up suggests a desire to accelerate innovation by promoting shared standards.

RAM failure, a structural risk?

Explosive demand for DRAM and NAND, linked to AI data centers, is creating global tension. Several analysts anticipate a prolonged shortage until 2027–2028. This macroeconomic context is influencing certain design choices.

Ethics & sustainability: pressure mounts

The CES now has dedicated areas for energy efficiency in data centers, reducing the carbon footprint of devices, and technologies for optimizing resources (water, energy, waste). This shift signals that the industry is no longer ignoring the political and societal pressure surrounding responsible technology.