LAS VEGAS, December 30, 2025 — As CES® 2026 continues to take shape ahead of its January 6–9 run in Las Vegas, organisers have unveiled a major focus on the future of manufacturing — underscoring how innovation in automation, robotics, artificial intelligence and workforce development is redefining how products are designed, built and delivered across industries.
At the centre of this year’s agenda is a new dedicated Manufacturing Track, open to all CES attendees and designed to explore how advanced technology is transforming the global manufacturing ecosystem. The programming brings together leaders from industry, government and professional associations to discuss strategy, competitive edge and the technology needed to build resilient, competitive production environments in the AI era.
“Manufacturing is transforming fast and CES 2026 will show what it takes to build the next industrial era,” said Gary Shapiro, CEO and Vice Chair of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organisation that owns and produces CES. “CES brings together the full manufacturing ecosystem — from automation and robotics to materials and sourcing. The technologies, partnerships and workforce training that power resilient, competitive and AI-ready manufacturing will be front and centre at the show.”
Show floor innovation: advanced showcases and robotics
Across the Las Vegas Convention Center, manufacturing innovation will be visible throughout multiple halls. The Advanced Manufacturing Showcase, produced by CTA in collaboration with SME, will occupy Central Hall (booth #15425), highlighting leading-edge U.S. manufacturing technologies — from automation systems and industrial software to next-generation materials — and offering attendees the opportunity to connect directly with top innovators driving change in the sector.
Exhibitors in South Hall will present the global ecosystem for product design, sourcing and production — illustrating how ideas move from concept to market at scale. Meanwhile, North Hall will spotlight industrial robotics, simulation tools and AI-enabled systems, technologies that are helping manufacturers boost productivity, enhance safety and strengthen supply-chain performance.
Conference programming: thought leadership on industry transformation
The Manufacturing Track’s conference sessions will dig into a range of critical topics. Highlights include:
- “Charting the Future: Manufacturing, Innovation, and America’s Competitive Edge” — a fireside chat featuring Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, who will join CTA’s Shapiro to discuss how comprehensive manufacturing strategy and smart workforce policy can reinforce U.S. industrial leadership.
- Expert sessions on robotics, leadership and adaptive strategies for future production.
- Breakout discussions on next-generation manufacturing technologies — from connected factories and intelligent robotics to AI partnerships shaping the production floor.
Additional related tracks will explore the connected product factory, intelligent robotics and the future of product innovation, with insights from organisations such as Deloitte, PwC and PTC. The CES Research Summit will also include sessions on the economics of manufacturing collaboration and global industrial resilience.
CES 2026’s manufacturing focus underscores the sector’s increasing integration with the broader technology landscape, where AI, robotics and digital infrastructure are core drivers of competitiveness and growth. As reshoring, workforce transformation and supply-chain adaptability continue to play pivotal roles, CES provides a global stage for companies and policymakers to connect, collaborate and shape the future of production.