By Justin Ma, Founder of Ceridi
Las Vegas this January was a whirlwind. Although Ceridi didn't have a formal booth on the floor this year, our team was on the ground, embedded in the crowd, and meeting with partners across the Las Vegas Convention Center. Walking those halls, one thing was undeniable: AI is no longer a "feature"—it is the baseline. In 2026, the industry has reached a tipping point. If a product doesn't talk to the cloud or process data at the edge, it feels like a relic from a different decade. The "dumb" device era is officially over.
This year’s show was a massive display of global scale, featuring over 4,300 exhibiting enterprises. In the heart of this AI revolution, the leadership of US and Chinese firms was clear.
Of the thousands of companies present, over 1,300 were from China—nearly one-third of the entire show. Even more impressive was the concentration of talent from our home base: nearly half of those Chinese innovators hailed from Shenzhen. Seeing Shenzhen cement its status as the world’s "Technology Innovation Hub" on the global stage reinforces why Ceridi is positioned exactly where it needs to be.
The most successful products this year weren't necessarily the ones trying to solve the world's most complex scientific problems. Instead, they were the ones that integrated AI into our daily habits. We saw a massive surge in:
Wearables: Smart rings and necklaces that act as discreet digital assistants.
AI-Powered Toys: Interactive companions that bring stories to life.
Meeting Recorders: Devices that handle the "literal processing"—transcribing and summarizing with the precision LLMs were born for.
These products are winning because they don't rely on 100% "hallucination-free" accuracy for life-critical tasks. They focus on textual and vocal processing, allowing the AI to do what it does best. Because these devices are intuitive and low-friction, they are being rapidly accepted by the mass market.
As we walked the floor, we saw many brilliant AI startups struggling with a common hurdle: they have the "brain" (the software) but lack the "body" (the hardware).
This is where Ceridi’s ODM services come in. With our deep roots in the Shenzhen ecosystem and nearly 20 years of experience in AI hardware, we specialize in helping these innovators bridge the gap. Whether it’s a wearable sensor or an AI-integrated toy, we provide the hardware design and manufacturing expertise to ensure that your AI isn't just a piece of code, but a high-quality product ready for the global shelf.
Turning AI concepts into intelligent reality
with hardware, software, and AI models.
