Blockchain Barely Gets a Mention as AI Dominates CES 2026 Trend Predictions

Blockchain acquired solely a quick point out at a Shopper Electronics Present (CES) speak centered on expertise pattern predictions, as synthetic intelligence dominated dialogue about the way forward for shopper and enterprise expertise.

The CES 2026 Tendencies to Watch speak, held Monday, featured Brian Comiskey, senior director of innovation and traits on the Shopper Expertise Affiliation (CTA). Comiskey described the 2020s as a decade of “clever transformation,” pushed primarily by advances in AI.

“It is a wave of innovation led to by the rise of synthetic intelligence and its growing capabilities, which is altering the operations of enterprises, the features of staff and the lives of shoppers,” Comiskey mentioned.

Blockchain was referenced solely in passing close to the tip of the dialogue, described as providing “unhackable layers of safety,” with out additional clarification or elaboration.

“Clever platforms”

Regardless of ongoing financial uncertainty, together with inflationary pressures and tariffs, the CTA tasks U.S. shopper expertise trade income will attain $565 billion {dollars} in 2026, indicating continued shopper demand for brand spanking new applied sciences.

He outlined a future by which {hardware} gadgets more and more perform as adaptive, data-driven platforms. Comiskey mentioned good glasses and prolonged actuality headsets are being deployed in industrial settings, together with warehouse optimization, distant surgical help, and medical purposes.

“We’re going to see clever transformation driving a basic shift,” he mentioned. “The gadgets and {hardware} we all know and love have gotten clever platforms designed to ship deeply personalised, adaptive experiences.”

Automobiles are present process an analogous transformation, Comiskey mentioned, arguing that they are evolving into “software-defined ecosystems,” that includes over-the-air updates, modular {hardware} and open working methods.

“Automobiles are not simply machines,” he mentioned. “Customers now count on their vehicles to adapt to them, not the opposite manner round.”

He highlighted AI-powered driver profiles, predictive upkeep and partnerships between automakers, expertise corporations and content material platforms as central to this shift. Simply this week, Nvidia introduced a collection of open AI fashions designed for self-driving vehicles.

Healthcare and good properties

In healthcare, Comiskey predicted elevated use of steady monitoring applied sciences. He mentioned psychological well being instruments are shifting from “passive monitoring to proactive assist,” with startups utilizing voice biomarkers to detect early indicators of despair and anxiousness. He additionally cited conversational AI for cognitive behavioural remedy, biometric sleep monitoring and personalised vitamin platforms.

The panel additionally centered on the evolution of the good dwelling, which Comiskey described as changing into each extra personalised and extra built-in into well being monitoring.

Linked dwelling methods, he mentioned, are more and more designed to anticipate consumer wants by studying day by day routines and preferences, adjusting lighting, local weather and leisure robotically. Gadgets similar to good mirrors, smoke detectors and doorbells are being positioned as well being, security and productiveness instruments.

The session additionally addressed adjustments in enterprise fashions enabled by these applied sciences. Comiskey mentioned “hybrid monetization” is changing into customary, combining subscriptions with promoting, premium add-ons, tipping and creator-focused income streams.

“This flexibility helps platforms attain broader audiences whereas giving creators extra methods to monetize,” he mentioned, although it additionally suggests clients will probably be squeezed for more cash for companies they might as soon as simply pay for outright earlier than subscription companies grew to become customary.

Comiskey additionally introduced information suggesting AI adoption within the office is now widespread. Based on CTA analysis protecting European, South Korean and US markets, consciousness of AI exceeded 90% in all surveyed areas. Greater than 40% of staff in each nation surveyed reported utilizing AI at work, with the US main at almost 63%.

“Our information is exhibiting that AI is evolving from one thing experimental into one thing important for the enterprise and staff,” Comiskey mentioned, including that US staff who use AI reported saving a mean of 8.7 hours per week.

A combined outlook

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Regardless of Comiskey’s optimism, past CES AI has met with a combined reception, with questions remaining about how staff and shoppers are responding to widespread AI deployment. Some workers have criticised AI office instruments as inefficient, dubbing what it produces “workslop” and arguing that correcting AI-generated errors can improve workloads moderately than scale back them.

A July research by the MIT Analysis Lab discovered that regardless of between 30 and 40 billion {dollars} in enterprise funding in generative AI, 95% of organisations surveyed reported no measurable return on funding.

Utilizing AI to foretell human actions and habits additionally raises points round privateness and information safety.

“Most organizations fall on the incorrect aspect of the GenAI Divide,” the MIT report concluded. “Adoption is excessive, however disruption is low.”