The Consumer Electronics Show kicked off Monday afternoon in Las Vegas, and this year's edition is less about gadgets that connect to the cloud and more about AI that actually exists in physical space. Think robots that can fold laundry and assistants that book your travel without you lifting a finger.
The Big Themes This Year
AI That Lives on Your Devices: The cloud era is giving way to something more tangible. We're talking about agentic AI—systems that don't just respond to commands but proactively handle tasks like managing your home's energy consumption or planning your next vacation. The intelligence lives right there on the device, not somewhere in a data center.
Robots That Actually Do Chores: LG's CLOiD robot and Samsung's AI Living vision represent a shift from "smart" appliances that mostly just send you notifications to robots that genuinely handle household work. We're talking laundry, food preparation, cleaning—the kind of stuff that might actually justify calling your home "smart" for once. The industry is calling this push toward full automation the "Zero Labor Home."
Quantum Computing Goes Mainstream: For the first time, CES has dedicated serious attention to quantum technology. The show launched something called the CES Foundry specifically to demonstrate how quantum computing is moving from academic research into real-world applications in cryptography, material science and AI processing.
D-Wave Quantum, Inc. (QBTS) and Quantum Computing, Inc. (QUBT) both have booths at the event, signaling that quantum technology is ready for its close-up with mainstream audiences.
Cars as Software Platforms: The automotive section in West Hall treats vehicles less like mechanical transportation and more like rolling computers. The pre-production Sony-Honda Afeela 1 is making its debut, and air taxi technology is getting significant attention.
Speaking of flying around, Archer Aviation, Inc. (ACHR) and Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY) are both presenting their air taxi advancements at the show. Urban air mobility is apparently no longer just a Jetsons fantasy.
Who's Taking the Stage
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keynote address at 4 p.m. ET on Monday, and the company is expected to showcase more than 20 demos throughout the week. Investors are watching for updates on next-generation GPUs, including potential successors to the Blackwell chip and new applications for AI in robotics and real-world simulations.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) CEO Lisa Su is also speaking Monday, with expectations that she'll focus on the hardware powering the next wave of AI-enabled personal computers.
In an interesting crossover between tech and traditional industry, Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT) CEO Joe Creed is delivering a keynote on how heavy industry is deploying AI and autonomous systems for sustainable construction. When the equipment manufacturers start talking AI at a consumer electronics show, you know the technology has reached a different level of maturity.
The event runs through January 9, so expect plenty more announcements as the week progresses.