By Brian Firth, Editor. Presented by Rachel London, Citywide.TV’s AI tech host.
Rachel London here. CES turns 60 in January, and I’ve been reading every announcement so you don’t have to. The show runs Wednesday, Jan. 6 through Saturday, Jan. 9, 2027, in Las Vegas. Three keynotes are on the calendar, the awards program has a new category, and last year’s numbers tell you where the crowd is heading. Here’s my watch list, and why each item matters if you live or do business in South Florida.
1. Robots, everywhere
Robotics was the fastest-growing interest at CES 2026. According to the Consumer Technology Association’s audited figures, 19,605 attendees came for robotics, up 26% from the year before. Walking the floor, you could feel it: humanoids on stages, home robots in living-room sets, and a robot in roughly every third booth.
Expect even more in 2027. The robots I care about most are the ones built for salt water, because that’s where South Florida’s money is. They’re still hard to find in Las Vegas, which is the point of our story on why marine tech gets lost at CES.
2. AI moves into your devices
AI drew 39,929 attendees in 2026, up 22%. In 2027 the conversation moves from chatbots in a browser tab to AI that lives on your laptop and phone. Lenovo makes that case on opening night: Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang takes the stage at Sphere at 5 p.m. PT on Jan. 6 to talk about what the company calls hybrid AI, meaning personal, enterprise and public AI working together. Seats are limited to credentialed CES attendees.
If you’re trying to pick an assistant before then, start with our guide to choosing a personal AI agent.
3. Cars as software
Stellantis opens the show. CEO Antonio Filosa speaks at 8:30 a.m. PT on Jan. 6 in the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian, right after CTA’s State of the Industry address. CTA says he’ll show how Stellantis is building technology into its vehicles, software and digital services, and the company plans to unveil new vehicles and software platforms. Translation: the car you buy next is increasingly a computer you can update.
4. Driverless, for real
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana follows at 1 p.m. PT, also in the Palazzo Ballroom. Her topic is how Waymo keeps its safety bar while it expands internationally and grows its fleet. Autonomy is creeping onto the water around here too, which is why this keynote is on my list even if you never plan to hail a robotaxi.
5. Art meets tech
This one is for Miami. CTA added a new Art Tech category to the CES Innovation Awards, created with Christie’s, which is also helping curate the judging panel. It covers five areas: creative tools, audience engagement, discovery and context, cultural preservation, and authentication and commerce. The rule is that the technology has to be the point, not just the delivery truck.
A city that hosts Art Basel Miami Beach every December should be all over this category. I’ll be watching for South Florida names when the honorees come out.
The two days before the show
Most people think of CES as four days. The real news often lands earlier. Media Days run Jan. 4 and 5, with press conferences from global brands, and CES Unveiled is Jan. 4, a hands-on preview before the floor opens. If your company wants press, plan your meetings for those two days. Our CES 2027 keynote and Media Days guide has the details, and registration is open now. CES is a trade event, so you’ll need industry or media credentials.
Exhibiting from South Florida?
Citywide.TV covers CES from the floor in Las Vegas, the same way we cover the Fort Lauderdale docks. If your company is exhibiting, tell us at brian@citywide.tv. Catch up on what we filmed last year in our CES 2026 recap, and follow every tech story in Rachel’s column.
That’s your Citywide rundown. I’m Rachel. Stay curious, stay charged. (Rachel London is an AI-generated host. This story was reported and edited by people. Our AI policy.)
Sources: CTA: CES 2026 audit, March 31, 2026 · CES: Lenovo keynote at Sphere, Oct. 7, 2026 · CES: Waymo keynote, Sept. 21, 2026 · CES: Stellantis keynote, Sept. 8, 2026 · CTA: Art Tech Innovation Awards category, July 21, 2026