CES, the world’s largest tech show, will kick off the first week of the New Year. The show will bring together leaders from across categories from appliances and automotive to beauty and travel. Speakers and exhibitors will highlight how they are innovating in order to improve consumer’s lives.
Kinsey Fabrizio, president of The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organization that produces CES, says that CES 2026 “ is driven by the human desire for meaningful, face-to-face connection to get business done.”
“They want to sit across the table from partners, customers, investors, and policymakers to move global business forward,” says Fabrizio. “At CES, attendees have an average of 29 meetings with decision-makers from around the world.”
The event will take place at conference centers across Las Vegas. Lenovo is hosting Tech World at The Sphere for the first time ever. The CEOs of AMD and Siemens will each give keynotes focused on AI. Havas CEO Yannick Bollore’s keynote will address the future of creativity. Investor Jason Calacanis and Bob Sternfels of McKinsey will discuss how AI is reshaping investment. The CEO of Caterpillar will give a keynote on high tech innovations in manufacturing equipment.
Brand Innovators will be hosting a Marketing Leadership Summit in Las Vegas at The Aria, featuring marketing leaders from brands including: Marriott, Ulta Beauty, Ford, United Airlines, Clorox and many more.
Brand Innovators caught up with Fabrizio from her office in Las Vegas ahead of the event to discuss the upcoming tentpole event. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What are the driving forces behind CES 2026?
Innovation continues to push industries forward, and CES remains the place where the world’s leading innovators converge. As the launchpad for groundbreaking products and transformative partnerships, CES 2026 will once again unite the full tech ecosystem – from emerging startups to global brands. It’s where industries intersect, fueling advancement across AI, robotics, digital health, mobility, enterprise solutions, energy, immersive entertainment, and accessibility.
Another driving force behind CES is our intentional focus on community-building. Nothing about the show’s layout is accidental. It’s designed to help people find their people. West Hall, for example, brings together a dynamic mobility ecosystem with dedicated exhibits and the Mobility Stage, making it easy for attendees to meet the right partners at the right moment. And that spirit carries across the entire show. Diplomats and policymakers gather at our Innovation Policy Summit, investors and startups collide in Eureka Park, and marketing and media meet at C Space. Content creators have a new and bigger home this year in Central Hall. Open to all badge holders and with three full days of programming on the CES Creator Stage, it fosters organic connections between creators, exhibitors, and brands.
We’re also introducing something entirely new for CES 2026: CES Foundry. Hosted on January 7-8 at Fontainebleau, CES Foundry is a space focused on solving big challenges using AI and quantum. It features live demos, high-impact networking, and two stages of content. It’s designed for innovators who want to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
And of course, CES is known for world-class content. In 2026, we’re delivering strategically themed sessions that tackle today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities head-on, ensuring the conversations are timely, relevant, and actionable. We’re also welcoming an incredible lineup of keynote speakers, including Dr. Lisa Su of AMD, Joe Creed of Caterpillar, Yannick Bolloré of Havas and Vivendi, and Yuanqing Yang of Lenovo at Sphere. Bob Sternfels of McKinsey & Company and Hemant Taneja of General Catalyst will join entrepreneur and angel investor Jason Calcanis for a live taping of the All-In interview for the podcast.
All of this – global business, innovation, community, and cutting-edge content – is what drives CES. It’s where ideas become reality and where industries come together to shape the future.
What should attendees expect?
One of the most exciting places to experience CES is C Space, which continues to be the gathering place for the global CMO community. It’s truly the heart of content and advertising culture at CES. This is where top brands, advertisers, media platforms, and creative leaders come together to forge deals, showcase breakthrough technologies, and explore the trends that are reshaping how stories are told and how audiences engage.
For 2026, we’ve extended C Space hours on the final day by an extra hour to give attendees more time for meetings, conversations, and discoveries. And we’re elevating the content even further. C Space keynoter Yannick Bolloré, CEO of Havas and Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Vivendi, will bring a powerful perspective on how technology and human creativity are converging to unlock the next wave of innovation in advertising and entertainment.
We’re also offering a rich set of conference tracks, including a dedicated gaming track, a creators track, and a sports tech track, recognizing how these segments continue to influence culture, business, and consumer behavior.
And our exhibitor lineup at C Space is a great reflection of that momentum. Leading players – including: Amazon Prime Video, Fanatics, iHeartMedia, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Reddit, Tubi, Uber, Warner Bros. Discovery and X – will showcase what’s next at the intersection of content, tech, advertising and culture.
Attendees will see clear trends emerging in the content and entertainment space. Streaming will continue to dominate, driven by high-quality original content, exclusive licensing strategies, and innovative formats that expand and diversify audiences. At the same time, the industry is entering a major convergence era, where bundled services, ad-supported tiers, and AI-driven discovery are reshaping the way consumers find and experience content. Together, these shifts are transforming viewing habits, elevating the importance of curation, and inspiring greater creative experimentation across new formats and storytelling models.
In short, attendees should expect a C-Space that is more dynamic than ever before.
What’s new and noteworthy this year?
CES 2026 is all about elevating the experience and expanding opportunities for every part of the tech ecosystem. One of the biggest additions this year is CES Foundry, a new community where global innovators can come together to solve real challenges using AI and quantum. It features live demos, high-impact networking, and two stages of content.
We’re also introducing several new CES Innovation Award categories that reflect where the industry is heading. For 2026, we’ve added EdTech, Enterprise Tech, Filmmaking & Distribution in partnership with Cannes Next, Supply & Logistics and Travel & Tourism. These categories spotlight the sectors undergoing major transformation and the companies driving that change.
On the programming side, attendees will find a brand-new Accessibility Stage presented by Verizon Accessibility, along with a half-day manufacturing track, dedicated wearables programming, and a Women’s Health track that highlights one of the fastest-growing areas in tech. We’re also hosting AI Training Courses presented by Modev on Friday, January 9. It’s designed to give companies practical guidance on strategy, implementation, agentic AI in operations, creative AI thinking, responsible adoption, and AI-driven marketing.
We’re also seeing tremendous momentum from the investment community. After the strong turnout from investors at CES 2025, it’s clear CES has become essential for spotting emerging technologies and forming high-impact partnerships. To support that, we developed the CES Investor Partnership Program, which helps investors move quickly and strategically through the show. It provides access to exhibitor funding insights, tailored networking events, and curated programming built specifically for the investment community.
And finally, we’re enhancing the CES App with new AI-driven features like an AI chatbot, upgraded networking tools, and built-in translation services to make it even easier for attendees to navigate the show, find connections, and maximize their time. It’s truly an essential tool for getting the most out of CES 2026.
Do you have any numbers to share (expected attendees, exhibitors, etc.)?
Global innovation will thrive at CES 2026 and all signs point to a successful show! CES 2026 will welcome thousands of exhibitors from around the world. We don’t know attendance numbers until we are at the show and CES attendance is verified post-show through an independent audit, which will be available in the Spring of 2026.
