THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY TAKES SHAPE AT CES 2026

Gary Shapiro and Kaushal Nevrekar on CES 2026, Al, and India's Growing Global Voice

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My At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, we sat down with two influential voices shaping the future of technology: Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and the driving force behind CES, and Kaushal Nevrekar, President and Chief Business Officer of Reliance Retail Electronics Business. In a wide-ranging conversation, they decode how technology, AI, retail, and India's growing influence are redefining the global tech landscape.

Ramesh Somani: Gary, it’s great to have you back again. CES 2026 is in full swing. How has the show been so far?

Gary Shapiro: It's been phenomenal. Despite everything happening globally, whether it's geopolitics, weather challenges, or tariff uncertainties, CES 2026 has exceeded our expectations across every metric. We have over 4,000 exhibitors, a larger international presence than last year, and more than 2.6 million net square feet of exhibit space.

What's truly exciting is the energy. Every major chip company CEO is here. We've had keynotes from AMD, Lenovo, and several others, all reinforcing one central theme: chips and AI are powering the future. The Lenovo launch at Sphere yesterday was absolutely mind-blowing.

Ramesh Somani: CES has always been a roadmap for what's coming next. What major shift are you seeing in 2026?

Kaushal Nevrekar: The most significant shift is intelligence becoming invisible infrastructure. AI is no longer a feature you advertise; it’s embedded silently into everything we do. Whether you're shopping online, walking into a physical store, or planning travel, intelligence is working behind the scenes, shaping every interaction.

RS:Gary, have you had time to walk the show floor yet?