CES 2026: Lost in the AI Hype
This article from Rock Paper Shotgun details the overwhelming presence of AI-focused announcements at CES 2026, overshadowing genuinely interesting and practical tech developments. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
The Problem: AI Overload
* AI domination: CES 2026 was heavily dominated by AI-related announcements, many of which the author deems “dubiously useful” or even “rubbish.” This overshadowed more practical and desirable tech.
* Marketing Over Substance: Companies prioritized showcasing future AI possibilities over current, tangible products.
* AMD’s Keynote as an Example: The author criticizes AMD’s keynote as a bizarre, overly-long presentation featuring executives in staged interviews, focusing on future AI applications while barely mentioning actual product releases like the Ryzen AI 400 CPUs.
* Questionable Partnerships: AMD’s keynote featured guests like openai’s Greg Brockman (linked to concerning ChatGPT issues) and Michael Kratsios (criticized for cutting research funding), raising concerns about the direction of the company.
Glimmers of Hope: Actual tech Announcements
Despite the AI noise, several worthwhile developments were unveiled:
* Lenovo Legion Go 2 (SteamOS): A highlight for the author, offering a SteamOS version of the handheld gaming PC.
* Nvidia DLSS 4.5: A new upscaling technology that improves image quality and performance, using machine learning in a “non-problematic” way.
* Nvidia G-Sync Pulsar: A new monitor backlight strobing technology that improves clarity in fast-paced games, even with adaptive sync.
* Intel Panther Lake CPUs: New laptop cpus with considerably improved integrated graphics (Arc B390 GPU,77% faster than previous generation). A version specifically for handheld PCs is in development.
* Dell’s Approach: Dell consciously avoided “AI PC” branding for its Alienware systems and revived the XPS business laptop line, acknowledging consumer priorities.
* Cherry Keyboards: Cherry is back with new magnetic key switch keyboards.
* AMD ryzen 7 9850X3D: A new high-end CPU expected to be a top choice for PC builders.
The Author’s Frustration
* The author expresses disappointment that genuinely exciting products like the Ryzen 7 9850X3D were barely mentioned during AMD’s keynote, overshadowed by AI discussions and celebrity guests.
* They criticize the prioritization of AI hype over showcasing actual product improvements.
In essence, the article paints a picture of CES 2026 as a trade show where marketing and the pursuit of the “AI” buzzword overshadowed genuine innovation and consumer-focused technology.
