Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently stated that electricity is the ultimate currency in the AI race, aligning with supply chain insights showcased at CES 2026 around autonomous vehicles, robotics, and various AI applications.
Chinese robotics developers appeared at CES 2026 with a stronger focus on commercial deployment, highlighting embodied intelligence and real-world applications as companies sought to raise international visibility beyond conceptual demonstrations.
On the opening day of CES 2026, Lenovo followed Nvidia and AMD by bringing its annual flagship event, Lenovo Tech World, to CES for the first time. Held at the iconic Sphere venue in Las Vegas, the event marked the largest Lenovo Tech World to date.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with eight other government departments, has released the plan for "AI + Manufacturing." While framed as an industrial upgrade policy, it functions in practice as a strategically significant AI roadmap.
At CES 2026, Hyundai Motor Group reaffirmed its confidence in robotics subsidiary Boston Dynamics, as Chinese robot developers gain greater visibility in global markets and intensify competition in humanoid and industrial robotics.
AI server demand pushed Taiwan's three major ODMs — Foxconn, Wistron, and Quanta — to record-high revenue in 2025, with all three surpassing NT$1 trillion (US$32 billion). The momentum is expected to carry into 2026 as Nvidia's GB and VR (Vera Rubin) platforms transition smoothly, supporting stronger performance in the second half.
Taiwan is positioning itself as a global AI powerhouse by building on its dominant semiconductor industry. The Executive Yuan concluded its 2026 Technology Advisory Conference with a policy report focused on advancing Taiwan's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities by leveraging its hardware strengths and edge computing. Chief Advisor Liao Chun-chih delivered the closing recommendations to Premier Rong-tai Chuo, emphasizing selective international partnerships and hybrid cloud-edge AI development models.
The smart glasses sector marked a clear transformation at CES 2026, moving beyond the chaotic showcase of numerous startups seen in 2025 to a more streamlined exhibition featuring fewer but larger booths and heightened visitor interaction. Attendees demonstrated greater enthusiasm for trying on devices and exploring practical applications compared to last year's cautious approach.
Multiple indicators suggest Google will re-enter the smart glasses market in 2026, more than a decade after exiting the category. The company is expected to partner with Samsung to launch a new generation of smart glasses built on the Android XR platform, signaling a renewed push into augmented reality and wearable computing.
China has stepped up export controls affecting military and civilian sectors, with potential restrictions on rare earth products to Japan causing significant unease. Japanese industries, particularly automotive and electronics, are evaluating the possible consequences amid uncertainties about the scope of the new Chinese measures.
Largan Technology drew significant attention at its investor conference on January 8, 2026, revealing that US flagship smartphones are expected to adopt variable-aperture camera modules in the second half of 2026. Despite the promising timeline, several technical and manufacturing challenges remain unresolved, raising questions about the widespread adoption of this technology.
More coverage
