CES 2026: AI, Everything — and What Actually Matters

We went to CES 2026 with a specific focus: customer loyalty platforms, digital wallets, and consumer engagement. Not just the technology itself, but how brands are actually using it to build ongoing relationships with their customers.

Because ultimately, that’s where we play — turning technology into something people come back to.

Alongside that, we’ve been deep in the world of connected devices. Most recently, building companion apps for a golf experience with a fantastic AR smart glasses company — genuinely some of the most advanced we’ve seen. A full heads-up display, inbuilt controls, microphone and speaker, all packaged into something that actually feels usable on a course.

So CES was an opportunity to see where that whole ecosystem is heading.

Unsurprisingly, AI dominated.

Everything had been reworked, repackaged, or repositioned through an AI lens. TVs, cars, kitchen appliances, retail platforms — all “AI-powered,” all promising to anticipate, personalise, and optimise.

And again, you couldn’t help but ask: where is the AI actually doing something meaningful?

There’s no doubt the capability is real. But the gap between what’s technically possible and what’s genuinely useful is still very visible.

That said, there were areas where things are starting to click.

Digital wallets and payments are evolving quickly — not just as a place to store cards, but as a hub for identity, loyalty, access, and engagement. We’ve seen this first-hand through our work building pay-at-pump apps for fuel retailers, combining offers, loyalty, order-ahead, digital scratch cards, and gamification to drive repeat usage and deeper engagement. The convergence of payments, rewards, and personalised experiences is becoming more tangible, and there’s a clear opportunity for brands to own more of that customer relationship.

Retail experiences are also continuing to blur the line between physical and digital. In-store tech is becoming more subtle, more integrated — less about gimmicks, more about removing friction and enhancing the journey.

And then there’s hardware.

CES has always been a playground for new devices, but this year there was a noticeable shift toward more wearable, ambient technology. AR glasses, again, were everywhere — but more refined, more focused on real use cases rather than just concept demos.

You can see the direction of travel: lighter, more capable, always-on devices that integrate seamlessly into everyday life.

Which brings us back to the opportunity — and the challenge.

Because for all the innovation on display, the question remains the same: what’s the experience?

From a mobile app perspective, these devices and platforms only become valuable when they connect into something cohesive — something that users understand, trust, and actually want to engage with over time.

We’ve seen this cycle before.

New technology emerges, the industry rushes to apply it everywhere, and for a while, novelty leads the way. But novelty doesn’t last. Utility does.

The winners won’t be the ones who shout the loudest about AI, or who bolt it onto every product. They’ll be the ones who quietly make things better — simpler, more relevant, more useful.

CES 2026 didn’t lack ambition. If anything, it had the kind of ambition you see in Las Vegas itself — bold, oversized, and impossible to ignore. A bit like the enormous guitar being built for the Hard Rock Hotel: impressive, attention-grabbing… but you do wonder how much it changes the actual experience.

The real opportunity now is turning that ambition into experiences that people genuinely value.

If it’s not useful, it won’t be used. Like a home bread-making machine after the second or third go.