"You can't shake a stick without hitting an AI gadget at CES this year, with artificial smarts now embedded in just about every wearable, screen, and appliance across the show floor, not to mention the armies of AI companions, toys, and robots. But those are just the beginning. We've seen AI pop up in much stranger places too, from hair clippers to stick vacs, and at least one case where even the manufacturer itself seemed unsure what made its products "AI." Here are the gadgets we've seen at CES 2026 so far that really take the "intelligence" out of "artificial intelligence.""
"This is a product that would be silly enough without the AI add-on. These smart hair clippers help amateur hairdressers deliver the perfect fade by dynamically altering the closeness of the cut, helped along by an ominous face mask that looks like it belongs in an optician's office. But it's taken to the next level by the real-time AI coach, which gives you feedback as you cut. Glyde told me it's working on voice controls for the AI too, and that eventually it will be able to recommend specific hairstyles, so long as you're willing to trust its style advice. Are you?"
AI technologies have become ubiquitous at CES 2026, embedded across wearables, screens, appliances, companions, toys, and robots. Companies are integrating AI into unexpected consumer products, producing implementations that range from useful to gimmicky. Smart hair clippers adjust blade closeness and offer a real-time AI coach, while some booths promoted supplements tied to biometric data and labeled as "AI-upgraded pharmacotherapy." A number of manufacturers appear unclear about what qualifies as AI, and many product features prioritize marketing language over demonstrable intelligent behavior in everyday gadgets.
Read at The Verge
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