What CES 2026 Tells Us About The Future Of Work, Without Saying ‘Work’

On the face of it, CES 2026 is the world’s largest consumer electronics event, dedicated to the future of technology in the home, our social lives and entertainment.

But it also offers valuable insights into the future of work, and the tech powering the latest toys, gadgets and gizmos inevitably makes its way into the workplace.

Once again, AI is the clear star of this year’s show. And learning to work alongside smart machines as they automate routine work, increasingly make decisions on our behalf, will be a dominant theme of working life in 2026, too.

So here are five lessons that CES 2026, currently taking place in Las Vegas, can teach us about the future of work.

From ‘Doing’ To ‘Deciding’

With machines taking on more and more aspects of routine work, we humans will be more focused on high-level, strategic planning and decision-making. At CES 2026, we saw robots folding laundry and climbing stairs, taking over daily management of smart home ecosystems, and a plethora of AI assistants focused on predicting and anticipating our needs. This points to a future where machines take care of routine activities, while our own role pivots towards deciding how and where automation should intervene. In the workplace, this translates into an increase in time spent on oversight and strategic decision-making. Where should we prioritize implementing automation in order to deliver the most value, and what tasks are still too important, complicated or sensitive to be delegated out of the hands of humans? Increasingly, our value isn’t measured by how much work we can do, but by how good we are at identifying opportunities and orchestrating autonomous solutions.

Breaking Free From Desks And Screens

At CES 2026, we see AI shifting from a tool we use to an ambient, embedded layer behind just about everything. There’s no bigger indicator of computing severing its connection to our desks and screens than the proliferation of voice-controlled, context-aware and wearable devices on show in Las Vegas this year. Innovations like Govee’s new generation of smart home lighting or the evolved forms of smart glasses and headsetsdemonstrate that hands-free, environment-aware interfaces are driving new user experiences in consumer technology. And this paradigm shift will inevitably be reflected in the way we work, too, as we adapt to new models of hybrid, remote and in-the-field working.

Wellbeing As A Strategy For Workplace Success

The explosion in innovation connected to health and wellbeing on show at CES 2026 went beyond simple health trackers and fitness bands, to encompass smart menstrual pads and a youth smart bed, with a built-in health concierge, designed to support learning and emotional stability. This reflects a maturing in the health tech field, as devices move towards proactive, always-on monitoring and predictive wellness. This fast-moving trend suggests technology supporting us in our working lives will adapt to meet the same demands. In 2026, we can expect the focus not only to be on monitoring our performance or productivity in the workplace, but also on supporting mental and physical wellbeing.

Human Skills Are More Valuable Than Ever

One of the most important messages relating to the future of work that we should take from CES 2026 is how dramatically our skillsets need to evolve to match the speed at which technology is transforming the world around us. Set against a future where we share our homes with robotic humanoids, travel in self-driving cars and interact with holographic anime girlfriends, human skills — those which technology can’t yet replicate — become more valuable than ever. As humans take over the repetitive and routine work, human workers will differentiate themselves by their ability to communicate, collaborate, empathize and motivate. And we’ll shine by demonstrating how well we can navigate nuanced and ambiguous situations and connect ideas in abstract ways that machines still aren’t able to match.

While the main focus of CES 2026 isn’t the professional or corporate world, its message for the world of work is loud and clear.

It won’t be necessary to master every new technological tool and process to prosper in the brave new AI-driven future. Developing the ability to understand and anticipate change, and the agility to adapt to new opportunities and ways of working, will be just as important, if not more so.