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Latest revision as of 20:50, 13 February 2026
ATL241 – CES 2026 Overview
Episode Information
Podcast: Accounting Technology Lab
Episode: ATL241
Title: CES 2026 Overview
Hosts: Randy Johnston; Brian F. Tankersley, CPA.CITP, CGMA
Recording Location: CES 2026
Duration: 21:37
Episode Summary
In ATL241, hosts Randy Johnston and Brian F. Tankersley deliver an in-depth overview of CES 2026, sharing observations from their 15th year attending the show together. This year’s CES reflected a noticeable shift toward consumer-focused innovation, with fewer traditional enterprise vendors and a more subdued presence from long-standing technology anchors like Sony, Samsung, Intel, and AMD. Tariffs, supply chain constraints, and intellectual property concerns appeared to temper the scale and boldness of product launches.
Two dominant themes defined the show: AI everywhere and robots for everything. Artificial intelligence was embedded into nearly every category—sometimes thoughtfully, sometimes questionably—from robotic cookers and pet accessories to TVs and health monitoring systems. Robotics spanned lawn care, pool cleaning, mobility aids, exoskeletons, and experimental personal transportation concepts.
The hosts noted a decline in startup viability and a less inspiring Innovation Awards area, with fewer “wow” moments than in prior years. However, standout developments included advanced health assessment kiosks, art-focused TVs with striking realism, and growing momentum around AI at the edge, driven by privacy, legal, and professional-use constraints.
Overall, CES 2026 felt evolutionary rather than revolutionary—but it still provided valuable insight into the future direction of consumer technology, AI deployment, and infrastructure design.
Notable Quotes
Randy Johnston (04:12): “AI everywhere—yes. In some cases, AI inappropriate.”
Brian F. Tankersley (04:24): “If you put a steak in a microwave, you’ve already lost—no amount of AI fixes that.”
Randy Johnston (06:13): “If I had to name the two themes, it’s AI and robots—robots for everything.”
Brian F. Tankersley (09:02): “There were a lot of minimum products, but not many were viable.”
Randy Johnston (09:48): “Normally I walk through Innovation Awards thinking ‘that’s a good idea.’ This year? Not so much.”
Brian F. Tankersley (11:00): “There was a lot more iteration and a lot less innovation.”
Randy Johnston (19:42): “We’re seeing more AI move to the edge—and even in-house—because privilege and privacy matter.”
Companies and Products Mentioned
| Company / Product | X (Twitter) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCL | https://x.com/TCL_USA | https://facebook.com/TCLUSA | https://linkedin.com/company/tcl-electronics | https://instagram.com/tclusa |
| Amazon (Echo, TVs) | https://x.com/amazon | https://facebook.com/amazon | https://linkedin.com/company/amazon | https://instagram.com/amazon |
| LG Electronics | https://x.com/LGUS | https://facebook.com/LGUSA | https://linkedin.com/company/lg-electronics | https://instagram.com/lgus |
| Samsung | https://x.com/Samsung | https://facebook.com/SamsungUS | https://linkedin.com/company/samsung-electronics | https://instagram.com/samsung |
| Meta (Glasses) | https://x.com/Meta | https://facebook.com/meta | https://linkedin.com/company/meta | https://instagram.com/meta |
| Ring | https://x.com/ring | https://facebook.com/ring | https://linkedin.com/company/ring | https://instagram.com/ring |
| Qualcomm / Snapdragon | https://x.com/Qualcomm | https://facebook.com/Qualcomm | https://linkedin.com/company/qualcomm | https://instagram.com/qualcomm |
