Good afternoon, everyone! Testbed Vegas is on the ground for the biggest week of the year. It’s CES week in Las Vegas, and the city is buzzing with the electric energy of over 140,000 innovators, creators, and disruptors.
This week, we are stripping away the general news to focus entirely on CES 2026. The theme this year isn’t just « Smart »—it’s « Agentic. » We are seeing technology that doesn’t just wait for a command but anticipates the need. From robots that care to kitchens that cook, the future has arrived at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Let’s get tucked in.
1. Hospitality: The Rise of « Affectionate Intelligence » LG Electronics has officially stolen the show on day one with the debut of CLOiD, a new autonomous service robot powered by what they are calling « Affectionate Intelligence. » Unlike the utilitarian bots of the past, CLOiD uses advanced vision AI to read human emotions and body language, adjusting its service style accordingly. If a guest looks stressed, the robot softens its tone and interaction speed.
- View from the Testbed: This is the pivot point for hospitality robotics. We’ve mastered the « A to B » delivery; now we are tackling the « Heart to Heart. » For Las Vegas hotels, this tech offers a way to automate service without losing the emotional connection that defines true hospitality. Imagine a housekeeping bot that knows not to disturb you because it « sensed » you were on a call. The « Uncanny Valley » is getting shallower.
- LG at CES 2026: Affectionate Intelligence in Action
2. Travel: The Flying Taxi Reality Check The « Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility » hall is dominated this year by the next generation of eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles), but the headline story is the Supernal S-A2 updates and the regulatory breakthroughs being discussed in the West Hall. With pilot programs slated for major cities, the conversation has shifted from « Can it fly? » to « Where will it land? »
- View from the Testbed: Las Vegas is the perfect testbed for this. We have the density, the high-value traveler, and the need to bypass Strip traffic. We are looking at the potential for « Vertiports » to become the new hotel lobby. If you aren’t thinking about how your guests will fly to your front door, you’re already behind. The « Airport to Resort » timeline is about to be cut in half.
- Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility at CES
3. Casino Gaming: AI NPCs Change the Game While not a « gaming » show per se, the impact of Nvidia’s ACE (Avatar Cloud Engine) on the show floor is sending shockwaves through the casino world. The tech allows for « digital humans » (NPCs) that can hold unscripted, natural conversations. Slot manufacturers and interactive gaming designers are looking at this to create dealer-less table games where the dealer is a hyper-realistic AI that can joke, explain rules, and engage with players in real-time.
- View from the Testbed: The slot machine is waking up. We are moving from « RNG with pretty lights » to « interactive entertainment with a personality. » This tech allows for a personalized gaming companion that remembers your name, your favorite drink, and your play style. It’s the ultimate VIP host, scalable to thousands of machines. The privacy implications are real, but the engagement potential is infinite.
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to showcase AI at CES 2026
4. Restaurants: Robot vs. Chef One of the most packed sessions at the Venetian is the « Robot vs. Chef: Will AI Augment or Replace the Cook? » panel. On the show floor, companies like Apecoo are demonstrating robotic units that handle repetitive tasks like flatbread making, while more complex « robotic arms » are showing off plating skills. The consensus? The « Ghost Kitchen » is becoming the « Ghost-less Kitchen »—fully automated back-of-house operations.
- View from the Testbed: The labor crunch in culinary isn’t going away, and CES is showing the solution. But the « Testbed » take is that this tech belongs in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) and fast-casual lanes. In Las Vegas fine dining, the human touch is the product. The winning strategy will be hybrid: robots chopping the onions, humans tasting the sauce.
- CES Food Tech Preview
5. Space Tech: The Commercial Spaceport Era The Space Tech track at CES 2026 is robust, featuring innovations in satellite connectivity and commercial space travel. A key highlight is the focus on Sierra Space and their « Dream Chaser » spaceplane, which is preparing for its expanded commercial missions. With the « Las Vegas Spaceport » project in our local pipeline, the tech on display here—from life support systems to space-ready suits—feels closer to home than ever.
- View from the Testbed: Space is the new « Strip. » As commercial space travel becomes a reality, Las Vegas is uniquely positioned to be the « Pre-Flight » capital of the world. The technology at CES proves the hardware is ready; now the hospitality industry needs to build the software (the experience). We should be selling the « Earth to Orbit » package today.
- Space Tech at CES
6. Technology: The Nvidia Keynote It wouldn’t be CES without the leather jacket. Jensen Huang’s keynote for Nvidia this week is the anchor event. He is showcasing the next evolution of the « Omniverse »—digital twins that allow businesses to simulate everything from factory floors to entire cities before building them.
- View from the Testbed: For Las Vegas developers and resort operators, « Digital Twins » are the killer app. Imagine simulating a new casino floor layout and running millions of AI « guests » through it to test flow, profitability, and safety before you lay a single carpet. Nvidia is handing us a crystal ball. We just need to be smart enough to look into it.
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to showcase AI at CES 2026
Conclusion: CES 2026 is proving that the « hype » phase of AI is over; we are now in the « integration » phase. For Las Vegas, the message is clear: The technology to revolutionize our guest experience is here, on the floor, right now. The winners will be the ones who integrate these tools to enhance humanity, not replace it.
See you on the show floor!
Testbed Vegas is focused on industry creation for Las Vegas. Las Vegas is the prime location for technology companies who are focused on delivering products for the travel, hospitality and entertainment industries. Attracting over 42 Million Visitors per year and having almost 150,000 rooms, one of the busiest airports in the United States and known as the top meeting and convention destination in North America, Las Vegas is a major international destination, with a supporting skilled and industry oriented workforce, education hub and an economy enabled by technology at every level. Testbed Vegas was founded in 2018 by local entrepreneurs who are committed to making Las Vegas a global travel & hospitality innovation leader, and match it’s place as a leading international travel destination.
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