Six. Innovators from every corner of the globe show up to the most powerful tech event in the world. We'll rally together, imagining what's next, and we'll make it real, solving the greatest challenges facing our world and proving that technology isn't just moving us forward—it's creating new possibilities. Here, AI isn't an idea. It's intelligence in motion. The innovators, the storytellers, and the game changers come together to redefine the landscape of content, creativity, and culture. Pioneers will push healthcare beyond what we ever thought possible. From connected roads to autonomous flight, from next-gen marine tech to innovations that feed the planet, this is what drives us forward. In the halls of CES, technology doesn't just compute, it collaborates. Quantum thinkers, cybersecurity leaders, fintech visionaries, and robotics engineers are rewriting the rules of enterprise itself. Because when the world's most determined minds come together, we don't just predict the future, we build it. This is where bold ideas meet a global force. Where industries converge, partnerships ignite, and breakthroughs take center stage. Innovation isn't a solo act. It's a shared pursuit. CES 2026. Innovators show up.
Please welcome to the stage executive chair and CEO Gary Shapiro and the president of the Consumer Technology Association, Kinsey Frigio.
Wow. You know, if I could walk out to this applause every morning, I don't think I'd be drinking much coffee. You know, you walk into this room and you could just feel the energy, the excitement, the momentum. Kinsey, I don't know about you, but I am so thrilled to be back here in Las Vegas, where every January, we are so privileged to get a front row seat to see what's next.
Exactly. Everywhere you look, there are new ideas, creativity, breakthroughs. It's all happening at once. And Gary's right. If you are not awake yet, CES will wake you up fast.
And that's the beauty of CES. This is where we build the future. One breakthrough, one handshake, and one idea at a time.
And that future is changing fast. But before we go any further, let's take a moment to welcome everyone, especially those of you who are joining us for the first time. Absolutely. We know this show can feel big. Maybe because it is.
But whether this is your first CES or your 15th or in my case, um, you belong here.
60 or 70, I don't know, 60.
He did a 67 joke already.
This week is about discovery, connection, and stepping into the future of technology. CES is where global business gets done. It's where partnerships and conversations turn into deals and ideas move from concept to market. For many of you, the most important meetings happen right here on the show floor in conference rooms and in conversations that start seemingly small and lead somewhere big.
And that's why innovators show up at CES. And it's why together we solve at CES. You know, every generation has its spark. If electricity is the last century, AI will illuminate the next. In fact, as you know, Kinsey, AI is transforming every industry, every home, every life. If you think about it, fire, the wheel, the internet, every leap forward has reshaped humanity. AI is what's defining the next generation and it's doing it faster than anything we've seen before.
That's so great. I love AI. And in fact, you know, I'm using it for all sorts of things that have helped me keep my family on track. I use it for scheduling for the weeks or even months ahead and organizing all of my kids after school sports activities and there's way way too many of those. But we use AI to help and it's been a real game changer for things like summer break. I also love AI in business. I like to use it because I can help analyze information faster and prepare for meetings and make better research decisions. It helps cut through complexity and focus on the core of what matters. AI is helping all of us do our jobs more effectively.
Same here. I use AI all the time to get smart quickly, especially on dense issues. I use it to compare buying options and actually think through decisions in business and in life. It's basically a research assistant that helps me cut down the time it takes to actually figure things out.
But this moment isn't just about what AI-driven technology can do. It's also about trust. People want to know, is AI empowering me, protecting me, working for me?
And people are thinking about jobs. Let's be honest here. They're thinking about their own jobs, their kids' jobs. What skills will matter in the future. What opportunities will exist?
And that's why CES matters. It's more than a trade show. It's a community and a global beacon of optimism. Here in Las Vegas is where we set the tone for where innovation is headed. This year at CES, AI is everywhere. From early disease detection and personalized medicine to robotics that bridge precision and emotional intelligence, from smarter, safer mobility to accessibility breakthroughs and creativity tools powering new entertainment and storytelling. And what stands out this year is how tangible all of this feels. For example, there's a holographic windshield display from Hyundai Mobus that turns the entire driving experience into something safer and more intuitive, keeping critical information in your line of sight. And then you also have AI tutor which has smart glasses from Persona AI showing how intelligence can meet people where they are and adapt in real time to help someone learn a new skill, solve a problem, or do their job better. Or on our startup floor, Eureka Park, innovation becomes deeply personal. There's one company called Earflow, which is introducing an over-the-counter medical device used to help treat ear infections in children. I know I would have loved that when my kids were little. You probably feel the same way.
It's a small device with the potential to make a big difference for families. And on an entirely different scale, Hitachi's digital asset management platform is using AI to monitor railway systems, helping keep critical infrastructure safer, more reliable, and more efficient.
Well, that's the power of CES, which this year spans about 33 FIFA World Cup soccer, or as everyone else calls it, football fields.
Wow. Now, we know that's a lot of space, but don't worry. We really try hard to organize the show into categories that can help you navigate it in a way that maximizes your time here in Las Vegas. There's digital health and smart home at Venetian, showing how connected, intelligent living is becoming more intuitive, efficient, and personalized. You can also find one of the favorite parts of the show for me and for so many of you, the vibrant startup floor, Eureka Park in the Venetian. This show has always been designed so that anyone with an idea can expose it to thousands of people that'll make a difference in their business. Mobility is in Westole and showcases innovation across land, sea, and air. From autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assist systems to marine technology and next generation aviation, you'll find enterprise in North Hall and accessories, design and sourcing in South Hall, where form meets function and ideas turn into products ready for the global market.
But that's not all. Central Hall is the home for immersive entertainment and our creator lounge. AI and quantum is at our new CES foundry in the fountain blue on Wednesday and Thursday. And finally, you have the future of advertising content and entertainment at C-Space across three venues including Arya, Vadara, and Cosmo. And of course, we want to make sure you are able to visit the innovation showcase in the Venetian, representing the best of early stage innovation from around the world. It's where you can see what's coming next all in one place. And speaking of startups, the Sharks are going to be back at CES. Shark Tank will be here and holding auditions on site. We are so thrilled to welcome them back to CES. It's just more proof that CES continues to be a launch pad for bold ideas and big opportunities.
Now, we know we just threw a lot at you, but if you ever need help navigating the more than 2.6 million net square feet of exhibit space, that means exhibit space not counting aisles, the CES app is your best friend. It hands down the easiest way to navigate the show floor, find conference sessions, track exhibitors, and build your schedule. So, if you have not downloaded it yet, now is the time. Well, after we're all done speaking. And don't forget the in-app AI assistant. You know, I really love it. I wanted to call it Gary GPT, but that was overruled.
Wait, what? I thought we decided that it was gonna be GPT was gonna be Gary's personal thinker. No.
Don't steal that from us. We're gonna do that. But in all seriousness, innovation comes to life everywhere you look. But I think it's the people you meet who make CES truly unforgettable.
Absolutely. It's all about the people. I am the paid cheerleader for the tech industry, but it's all about being with people, learning new businesses, having new ideas, serendipity, figuring out whether you could trust someone to do a business deal. That's what it's about. In fact, one of my favorite parts of CES is when someone stops me in the hallway and says, you may not know me, but I have this amazing idea, and it's usually a pretty interesting idea, but those are the moments of serendipity which really matter. And I remember when you stumble into a conversation or a demo you don't expect and suddenly you're thinking about everything and technology in a completely different way and getting ideas about who they should meet.
And that is the magic of this show. It's not just about what's on the agenda. It's about what happens when people come together, share ideas, and make connections for things that they couldn't even plan for. I had a moment like that many, many years ago when I walked past a very small booth on the show floor and saw one of the first Fitbit devices. At that time, it looked really simple, but you could feel that it wasn't just a product. It was the beginning of something bigger. That was one of the first moments I realized health was not just a trend. It was going to become a core part of how technology improves our lives. And CES was where that future first came into focus.
And speaking of people you meet beyond the show floor, CES programming brings new ways to learn, lead, and collaborate.
Absolutely. In fact, we have some awesome new keynotes spanning manufacturing, digital twins, agriculture, investment, entrepreneurship, and more. Last night on this stage, AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su gave the most powerful vision, an incredible keynote laced with people who are making a difference in the future of the world in so many different ways. It's not just a faster shift, but it's a new era where AI drives every layer of computing. Her message was clear: AI is the tech that will define the decade.
And up next, we have Siemens' CEO, Dr. Roland Busch, and he will outline how AI, robotics, and digital twins are converging to make the world programmable. Then we have Havas CEO and Vivendi chairman Yanick Bolloré. He will address the advertising and entertainment and content community at C-Space in Aria. And that's this morning at 11:00 a.m. He's going to share his vision for a future where technology and human ingenuity converge to unlock new creative possibilities. And at 2 PM, I'm very excited. Bob Sternfels and Hamet Tana along with Jason Calacanis will bring us an all-in conversation with a live taping of the All-In podcast.
And you have the good fortune of kicking that off.
I get to kick that one off.
She pulled rank. Uh, tonight at 5:00 pm, Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang brings AI all the way into the amazing sphere. Think F1 racing, immersive sports, and the first AI-powered World Cup. Tomorrow morning, Caterpillar CEO Joe Creed shows how a machinery giant is becoming a tech company, moving the earth with intelligence instead of added weight. And across CES stages, you'll hear from leaders shaping the direction of their industries: executives, founders, and technologists whose work is defining what's next. We have Corie Barry of Best Buy, Jameetta Gates of BuildWithin, Jensen Wong of Nvidia, Jennifer Costar of Spear, Simontiny Godal of Lowe's, and Nikki Santo of IMDb. These executives' work is shaping computing, manufacturing, retail, immersive entertainment, media, and the future of technology. These leaders aren't just part of the industry, they are defining it.
And we're grateful to our partners, including the Female Quotient, for their collaboration and showcasing leaders that are driving innovation across the global tech ecosystem, and MOD for sponsoring our new hands-on AI trainings. We're also actually very proud and it's very important to sponsor and host our first ever Women's Health Summit, bringing innovators, clinicians, investors, and policymakers together to actually spotlight technologies that are improving outcomes for women. So important. Manufacturing also has gotten on the radar screen in the last year if you're paying attention. It takes center stage here at CES too with a dedicated manufacturing pavilion with our partner in Central Hall, highlighting how AI, automation, and digital twins are reshaping production, supply chains, and global competitiveness. You'll hear directly from leaders shaping this transformation including Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, and Janine Coons, CEO ofime. Content creators also show up in big numbers at CES and we're thrilled to host them at our CES Creator Space in Central Hall.
This year we are proud to introduce a new Accessibility Stage located in the Venetian and presented by Verizon Accessibility. The stage is a powerful reminder that the best innovation is inclusive by design.
Wow, there's just so much new at this show. So much.
And but what is it that ties all these amazing themes and activations together? Is
People. CES works best because it brings together different perspectives, experiences, and voices, creating space for all of them to be part of what's next. And today, what's next is being written in real time, powered by AI. Kinsey, how many times do you think we're saying AI on this stage this morning?
Should we make a little drinking game out of this? Maybe it's a little too early in the morning.
Well, I'll tell you, I don't think the limit exists.
AI isn't part of the story. It is the story. But another chapter is emerging, and that's quantum.
Absolutely. And that's why we're launching the CES Foundry, bringing AI and quantum innovators together to figure out what's next.
CES Foundry is CES at its best. Where the next chapter of innovation takes shape, bringing together AI, quantum leaders, startups, researchers, investors, and policymakers for real conversations, live demos, and hands-on exploration of what's coming next. At CES Foundry, you'll see breakthrough demonstrations, hear from leaders shaping the future of computing like AMD, IBM, Nvidia, and so many more.
In fact, when we talk about AI and edge leadership, one of the companies that's been pushing the boundaries for years is Qualcomm. They've been redefining what's possible as intelligence moves from the cloud to the edge. Ladies and gentlemen, a special surprise. Please join me in welcoming Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon.
Very happy to be here. How are you?
We're so happy to have you.
Thank you for coming, Cristiano. It's always great when you grace our stage. You've been so amazing as a leader, as a company. But I want to know, what are you most excited about about where we're heading in technology?
Yes, look, there's so many things I think changing, especially as part of your conversation this morning with AI, and I actually going to say even following CES all those years, I think what's happening is also exciting for CES. I'll explain that to you. But look, as we start creating those incredible AI models, we all want to see humans using it. And I think AI is really coming to consumers. A company like Qualcomm that has been there since the beginning of the mobile industry transition. We're starting to see as you think about agents created with AI, it's actually changing every consumer device. And we're starting to see that happening right now when we think about the evolution of mobile devices, the things that we wear, whether it's watches and glasses, pendants and jewelry, all those things become smart, allow us to connect to agents. And we are starting to see how the whole computing and the entire consumer electronics industry is changing because now the computers understand what we see, what we say, they understand our world. And as AI gets produced and it goes into all of the devices where the humans are, we are actually seeing this massive transformation happening with consumer electronics. And that's the reason I made this comment, because I remember our history with you and with CES. And we look at the consumer electronics, the mobile devices, now CES is one of the biggest auto shows, and consumer electronics are also coming back because they all become smarter and they actually now have this computing capability that understands us. And I think that's incredibly exciting. We actually believe this new category of personal AI devices is going to be massive. It's going to be as big as phones, and we're just at the beginning of that. So it's an exciting future.
Cristiano, I love everything you're saying and it's so great to hear all of this. And since CES is about the future, we have to ask about the future. Can you tell us why this direction that you've just talked about is so important and where it's all headed next?
Look, as AI goes into everything, right? And it's the new, I think the way we think about Qualcomm, it's just a new way of doing computing and software. And not only is it going to go to everything that we interact with, but it's going to things with this physical AI. And actually that's been one of our biggest stories at this CES with the emergence of robotics and all of this new industry that's created by physical AI. And I think it's incredibly exciting because not only is there obviously this conversation about productivity enhancements and all of the things, but we see incredible potential of enhancing human ability. And the market is massive. We can barely quantify today how big this physical AI opportunity is going to be. I think it's one of the most exciting times for technology, and it's actually great to see all of those things coming together here at CES.
Oh, we couldn't agree more. Well, we can see all of this in action, what you've just talked about, at Qualcomm's booth, which is in West Hall number 501. We hope that you all will go there. Cristiano, we are so grateful for your leadership and for Qualcomm's partnership at CES for so many years.
And you've been fabulous, but I do have one more question. Yes, go for it. So most of the people here are believers in AI, but if you could clarify one thing that you wish people, average people, understood around their kitchen tables when they talk about AI, what do you think that would be?
That's a loaded question. I'll say the interesting thing, of course we all started going to Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and you ask questions to get an answer. You change how you do search and all that. But the interesting thing is this new way of doing computers that really understand our world the way we understand it, understand the context, is really going to completely change how we interact with them and it's going to democratize technology dramatically. I know that's not what we're talking about today, but this whole concept that I just described, how mobile devices are going to change, this is also happening with the upcoming transition of mobile to 6G, which is all about AI. It's all about AI. It's the network understanding the context of everything that is connected to the network to help those computers be able to do it. I like to describe it in a simple way that people understand it: when we think about the future of smart glasses as an example, it's like you're going to be walking in your daily life with somebody like with a friend. If I walk in here—that's not the case because I know you—but the agent will tell me, 'Hey Cristiano, that's Gary. You may want to say hi, talk to him. Cristiano, you have a moment right now in your schedule. Can I talk to you? There's something we need to think about for your meetings next week.' It's going to be like that. It's going to change how we think about interaction with computers. We're just at the beginning. This is going to be a decades-long process, but agents will fundamentally change our understanding of applications and programs.
Well, thank you for sharing that vision, and I want you back here next year to talk about that and 6G. We talked a lot about one, two, three, four, and five. Ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for Cristiano. Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Thank you so much. That was awesome.
Absolutely. I mean, we're living in a time of extraordinary opportunity. And of course, there is growing risk. We know that. And around the world, policies are either accelerating innovation or they're slowing it down.
I'll be the bad guy. Here's what's not working: trade restrictions and shifting tariffs.
Government affairs right over there. Also, rules that limit rights or restrict the tools that people rely on, policies that are shaped by fear instead of facts, and mandates on design instead of performance. All of this creates confusion and uncertainty and stifles innovation. And that's why we don't just sit around and say this hurts. We've created something we call our Innovation Agenda. That's a clear set of priorities that we believe must be right if innovation and competition are going to thrive.
And I'm gonna tell you the good news, of course, because the good news is we know what works. Around the world, we're seeing countries adopt more consistent national frameworks that protect consumers while still keeping innovation open, competitive, and human-centered. We're also seeing innovators and content creators collaborating, not litigating, to promote creativity, protect rights, and unlock new opportunities. That balance matters. Fair use matters. It's one of the reasons creativity has flourished in the digital age and why new technologies can build on what came before.
Thank you. Absolutely correct. And in many cases, the market is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. New technologies are emerging that supercharge free expression and creativity. It gives creators more control and expands what's possible. And often it's faster than government or regulation ever could. The best role for government is to set clear big goals and to set clear guardrails that minimize uncertainty and litigation and let innovators and consumers figure out the rest.
And that's why we celebrate our most innovative countries with our global innovation scorecard, because this moment will define who leads the future and whose values guide our technologies. We need collaboration, not silos, among companies, researchers, and policymakers.
People are the reason. Behind every breakthrough is a human story of creativity, resilience, and hope. Technology is at its best when it amplifies human potential. That's what we celebrate here at CES. People creating solutions that make life better for others. We celebrate the innovators helping children learn through adaptive education tools, diagnosing diseases earlier, and communities gaining access to clean energy and connected healthcare. This is technology serving humanity.
Just a few more minutes of us. But moments like these remind us why innovation matters. In fact, my own mother battled Alzheimer's for over a dozen years. And now today, seeing technologies that support cognitive health and reduce loneliness hit very close to home. For me and for millions of people around the world, it's about dignity, independence, and quality of life.
And at CES, we see technologies that make our lives healthier, safer, more efficient, and more connected. Technologies that are solving the world's biggest challenges. And we advocate for policies that make all these great things possible because AI is the spark and CES is the proving ground and people are the reason.
And on behalf of the entire staff and CES CTA's executive board, welcome to CES 2026.
Nailed it.
It is so great to kick off CES 2026 with you and to see what can happen when AI begins to animate the physical world. In a moment, you're about to experience what this looks like at a global scale from a company uniquely positioned to embed intelligence into our real world systems. A company that has nearly two centuries of experience shaping the infrastructure that powers modern life: transportation, factories, energy grids—and it's now driving the next wave of innovation through comprehensive digital twins, intelligent automation, and yes, AI. That company, Siemens. This morning, Siemens' president and CEO Roland Busch will share his vision for how AI will transform the everyday for everyone. Roland is a physicist, an engineer, a strategist, and one of the world's most influential technology leaders. He understands that the success of AI won't be defined by algorithms alone, but also by infrastructure, by integration, by innovation. And his perspective aligns closely with something that Kinsey and I shared in our keynote this morning: AI is the catalyst for a once-in-a-century transformation. All across the show floor this week, you'll see AI on display, innovation everywhere. And we believe deeply that companies that can scale AI into the physical world will define the next era of human progress. And that's where Siemens stands apart. They're not just imagining the intelligent age; they're building it. Under Roland's leadership, Siemens is enabling factories to operate with fewer errors and greater output. They're bringing resilience to global supply chains, sustainability to buildings. They're driving breakthroughs everywhere from drug discovery to grid stability. And they're developing the technologies and partnerships needed to ensure that AI can actually scale, reliably, responsibly, globally. And today you will get a first look at technologies and partnerships that will shape global industry for decades to come. You'll hear stories of real-world impact. It's a remarkable keynote from a remarkable company led by a remarkable person. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming to the CES 2026 stage the president and CEO of Siemens, Roland Busch.
Welcome to the CES stage. Heck. Well, I want you to think back to the time before electricity. The world moved at the pace of people. Horses bridged our distances. Steam powered our machines. Black screens now green. I think somebody check for the technology. Okay, I keep on going. Well, there's an idea. Ideas moved as fast as a letter or as a human voice. Then electricity arrived. A channel purpose technology became the foundation of modern life. It's redefining how you redesign and manufacture products from phones in your hands to the cars you drive. It revolutionizes how we build and operate infrastructure, including buildings like this one. And it allows us to make entire systems, grids, cities, economies, more adaptive and more resilient. A century ago, Siemens helped build the world in the light of electricity. Now, now we get to do it again. But this time it's not about energy. It is about intelligence, artificial intelligence. And artificial intelligence will be as transformative for this century as electricity was for that one before. We are powering the industrial AI revolution thanks to the speed boxes mosaic. Well, the industrial AI revolution has already begun and it's picking up steam faster than steam ever did. In fact, steam took 60 years to transform society. Electricity 30, computers 15. For AI, we're looking at seven years or less before intelligence is embedded in the systems we rely on every day. And that changes something fundamentally, because when AI enters physical systems, it stops being a feature. It becomes a force. A force with direct real world impact. A force that transforms how we design and build, how factories produce, how infrastructure operates, how the world powers itself. Now, how do we do it? How can we make this happen? How can we do all of this at speed and scale? And at the same time, in a way that it's reliable and safe? Hallucination is not acceptable when AI is deployed in the industrial world. Today we are making it easy for you to scale industrial AI in real world systems to create real world impact. We are bringing together AI-powered technologies, industrial domain knowhow, and the right partners. The whole thing is connected by data, valuable industrial data, and all in one place in our Siemens Accelerator marketplace. So let's have a look at these elements one by one. Let's start first with the right technologies. It is about software, hardware, compute, highly performant compute. It's GPUs and of course it is about data. Here comes the good news. Many companies have already some important elements in place, but this does not make them AI ready yet. Digital twins can simulate and software can solve problems, but they do not recommend what to do next. In the real world, compute is GPU, CPU based with AI needs GPUs to deploy its full power and speed. And too often data is fragmented, trapped in silos, and unused. That's why it is so important to have an end-to-end AI industrial stack to make impact in the real world. And at Siemens, we are able to build this because we have been working with AI for industry for more than 50 years. And today, Siemens has more than 1,500 AI experts. And all our engineers live in both worlds: in the digital and in the real world. And all our colleagues, over 250,000 of them, bring deep domain knowhow in our 30 industrial verticals. And that's because for decades, Siemens has been helping customers in the United States and all over the world to automate manufacturing, to run railway networks, to design and operate grids, or to operate buildings more efficiently. In fact, today one out of three manufacturing machines worldwide runs a Siemens controller. With our software, you can build the most comprehensive digital twin of products and of course of a whole manufacturing site. And now we are adding AI. Decades of experience in software, hardware and AI. And this experience means we have the domain knowhow to identify which data matter and how to cluster it, which AI applications make sense, and which decisions should be left to humans. And finally, our partners for industrial AI. To make use of all of this industrial design, manufacturing and operating data, you need huge amount of compute, gigantic centralized AI factories that are run by our partners like AWS or Microsoft, but also at the edge, very close to your machines, to your infrastructure. With this massive GPU-powered compute, digital twins no longer explore just thousands of options, but hundreds of thousands of them. Complex industrial foundation models can get trained on unprecedented amounts of industrial data. A digital twin can control a whole plant in real time. When these things come together—the right technologies, industry domain knowhow, and the right partners—that's when we stop just reporting issues and start anticipating them. That's when humans stop reacting to errors because machines have started to act and adjust autonomously. That's when companies can turn ideas into real world impact with speed, quality, and efficiency. It's the industrial AI revolution. Now I mentioned partners, the right partners, the best partners, and including a very special friend of mine and we hit it off immediately. He has a visionary engineering mindset. He thinks through problems from first principles. He anticipates the next development step of AI technology and he has both bold vision and the ability to make things happen. Please welcome Jensen.
200 years old. You've seen a few of these industrial revolutions. We're not quite 200 years, but we're heading for it. 175. Exactly. And we came a long way with our partnership too. Right. We kicked it off a couple of years ago. I remember that very well. We have the same vision: industrial AI operating system that we want to build. Huge opportunities for our customers. So, where are we on this journey now?
Yeah, it's an incredible thing. So we did a press conference at Siemens headquarters. How many years ago was that?