CES 2026: The Invisible Dominance of Chinese AI Hardware

Did you know that the robots maintaining your suburban yard are likely from Shenzhen? At CES 2026, it became clear that China isn't just participating in the AI race—it's building the physical world the AI lives in.

This year's show attracted over 148,000 attendees and more than 4,100 exhibitors. Remarkably, Chinese exhibitors accounted for nearly 1/4 of all companies present. In sectors like AI hardware and robotics, their presence wasn't just felt—it was dominant. After years of travel restrictions, the post-COVID return of Chinese tech giants and VCs has reshaped the exhibition floor into a showcase of manufacturing might.

Unpacking Chinese AI Hardware Dominance at CES 2026

The theme was AI everywhere, but while Western firms focused on software, Chinese companies showed off high-end hardware. Unitree, a Hangzhou-based robotics firm, stole the spotlight with humanoid fighters that could recover from knockouts, demonstrating incredible stability and motor control. These aren't just toys; they're data-collection terminals designed to pull AI out of text boxes and into the physical world.

In the household tech sector, Chinese brands now lead the pack. From 360-degree cameras to sophisticated lawn-mowing machines, the tech is so sleek you wouldn't recognize it as Chinese unless you checked the label. Ian Goh, an investor at 01.VC, noted that China's manufacturing depth gives it a unique edge because many Western companies feel they can't compete in the high-stakes arena of consumer electronics hardware.

The Infrastructure Battle: Cloud Meets Hybrid AI

The innovation didn't stop at gadgets. Lenovo introduced Qira, a cross-device AI agent system, signaling a shift toward integrated ecosystems. Meanwhile, silicon giants Nvidia and AMD focused on lowering the cost of the AI boom. Jensen Huang unveiled Vera Rubin, a new platform designed to slash training costs, while Lisa Su debuted Helios for massive AI workloads.