Tech that helps people outshone overhyped AI at CES 2026

Opinion Another Consumer Electronics Show has rolled through Las Vegas, and this year vendors scrawled “AI-enabled” on all the kit they hope will find its way into your home – while airbrushing away its immaturity and downsides.

Attendees could therefore hear vendors spruik AI toothbrushes and AI toilets and promise to turn snapshots of your gums into health-enhancing insights – just don’t ask about privacy – and a plethora of apps that will use machines to better manage your life – and your elderly parents’ affairs, too.

Moments at the conference that in past years would include mentions of AI – such as Jensen Huang's opening day keynote – were completely consumed by it. After a 15-second pre-roll of some eye-popping video game scenes, NVIDIA's CEO spoke for nearly two hours, said nothing about gaming, launched Vera Rubin silicon for AI training and inference, and framed it all as more relevant to financial ...