We are 3 days away from hashtag#CES2026 and today I’m sharing a few more hypotheses to consider and test from the show flow. CES 2026 is shaping up to be an epic robotics show. What’s notable this year is not just the number of robots, but the breadth of the ecosystem showing up, from chipmakers to platform providers to system integrators. The global diversity of robotic companies at CES this year will also be impressive.
Here are a few robotics theories I’m exploring this year:
1. Does mobility matter less than task specificity? I want to see if narrowly scoped robots are (or will) outperform general-purpose ones. Will specialized robots win not because they do more, but because they do one thing well?
2. Is robotics differentiation moving from hardware to software? The real differentiation may show up in how robots think and integrate, rather than how they are built.
3. Are robots being designed for non-technical operators? Do the demos at CES assume technicians or frontline workers?
4. What is constraining robotic adoption cost or integration? I believe integration, not cost, is the main inhibitor. While we will hear a lot at CES about lower costs, I’m looking for more on workflows, safety, and system handoffs.
Here are some robotic players I’m watching at CES this year:
Unitree Robotics will be showing off its humanoid robots.
Agility Robotics will be at CES with Digit, its warehouse-focused humanoid.
AGIBOT will use CES to debut its full product line in the U.S. I’m looking forward to seeing Q1, an AI-powered personal companion small enough to fit in a backpack.
NOETIX Robotics, a first time exhibitor to CES, will be shows its $1K child-sized robot, Bumi.
Doosan Robotics will be showcasing its CES Innovation Awards–recognized “Scan & Go” autonomous robotic solution and other AI-enabled robotics (including an AI depalletizer collaboration).
Rainbow Robotics will be in South Korea’s K-Humanoid Alliance Robot Pavilion and will likely be showing several different robots.
LG Electronics is planning to unveil CLOiD, a two-armed humanoid home assistant aimed at household chores as part of its “Zero Labor Home” vision.
CES will give us our first really good glimpse at our robotic future. And I’ll be looking for signals about that future.
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