Humanoid robots stole the show at the annual CES tech conference in Las Vegas last week, where they dealt cards, folded laundry, poured coffee, tended bar, played table tennis, moved warehouse totes and performed martial arts.
Humanoids are part of the larger trend of physical AI, which is the embodiment of artificial intelligence. Physical AI at CES 2026 also included autonomous vehicles and robots for vacuuming carpets, mopping floors, cleaning pools and mowing lawns, among other chores.
Humanoid robot demonstrations attracted big crowds to exhibitors such as Agility Robotics, Hyundai, LG Electronics and Unitree Robotics. And Mobileye made headlines with its $900 million purchase of Mentee Robotics.
Consumer electronics vendors big and small at CES 2026 showed off a kaleidoscope of devices, ranging from the practical to the bizarre. They spanned cinema-style televisions and AI-enabled cooking appliances to furry robotic pets, generative-AI art displays and even sex toys.
The four-day conference ran Jan. 6-9 after two days of media events. This year's show attracted more than 148,000 attendees and featured over 4,100 exhibitors. CES 2026 also drew more than 6,900 news media, content creators and industry analysts.
Consumer electronics makers such as LG Electronics and Samsung showed off smart devices for the living room, kitchen, laundry room and bathroom. Big tech firms Nvidia, AMD and others touted their latest technology advancements.
Companies not usually considered tech firms at CES 2026 included beauty giant L'Oreal and toymaker Lego.
CES buzzwords through the years:
2010: Green
2011: Smart
2012: Ultra
2013: Super
2014: Curved
2015: Wearable
2016: HDR (high dynamic range)
2017: Voice
2018: AI (artificial intelligence)
2019: 5G
2020: Streaming
2021: Pandemic
2022: Metaverse
2023: Augmented reality
2024: Generative artificial intelligence (or GenAI)
2025: Agentic AI
2026: Humanoids
Photos: LG Electronics robot Cloid folds laundry (LG); Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics introduced its latest Atlas robot (Hyundai); Mobileye announced its acquisition of Mentee Robotics (Mobileye); and Agility Robotics robot Digit moves totes in fulfillment center (Agility Robotics).
Related articles and press releases:
Humanoid Robots Captivate Crowds At CES 2026 Tech Trade Show (Investor s Business Daily; Jan. 9, 2026)
CES 2026: The Future is Here (Consumer Technology Association; Jan. 9, 2026)
LG Electronics Presents LG CLOiD Home Robot to Demonstrate "Zero Labor Home" at CES 2026 (LG; Jan. 4, 2026)
Hyundai Motor Group Announces AI Robotics Strategy to Lead Human-Centered Robotics Era at CES 2026 (Hyundai; Jan. 5, 2026)
Boston Dynamics Unveils New Atlas Robot to Revolutionize Industry (Boston Dynamics; Jan. 5, 2026)
Mobileye To Acquire Mentee Robotics to Accelerate Physical AI Leadership (Mobileye; Jan. 6, 2026)
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