TL;DR
AI features were embedded in a wide range of consumer products at CES 2026, often in unexpected places. Examples highlighted include smart hair clippers with a real-time AI coach and a booth handing out an 'AI-upgraded' sleep supplement.
What happened
Reporters on the CES 2026 show floor found artificial intelligence claims attached to a broad array of devices, from wearables, screens and appliances to companions, toys and robots. The Verge coverage singled out several of the more eyebrow-raising implementations: Glyde showed smart hair clippers that automatically adjust cutting closeness and include a face-mounted sensor, plus a real-time AI coach that offers feedback as you cut. Glyde said it is developing voice controls and hopes to push the system toward offering hairstyle recommendations. At another booth, SleepQ promoted what it called an "AI-upgraded pharmacotherapy" product; reps were handing out boxes described on the packaging as a multivitamin with ashwagandha marketed for sleep. The SleepQ product is made by Welt, a company the article says spun out of a Samsung incubator. The reporting also notes several cases where the use of the term "AI" appeared overstretched or unclear.
Why it matters
- Pervasive AI labeling can obscure whether devices actually deliver meaningful, novel functionality.
- Attaching AI to consumable products, especially those tied to health or sleep, raises consumer-safety and transparency questions.
- Vague claims risk eroding public trust if manufacturers cannot clearly explain what their AI does.
- The trend highlights how AI marketing may be applied to mundane or marginally improved products.
Key facts
- The Verge reported many products at CES 2026 carried AI features across wearables, screens, appliances, companions, toys and robots.
- Glyde's smart hair clippers dynamically alter cut closeness and include a face-mounted sensor described as looking like an optician's mask.
- Glyde demonstrated a real-time AI coach that gives feedback during a haircut and said it is developing voice controls and future hairstyle recommendations.
- SleepQ advertised its product with the tagline 'Where Pills meet AI' and handed out boxed pills at its booth.
- The SleepQ package described the pill as a multivitamin containing ashwagandha and marketed for sleep, though the reporter did not take it.
- Manufacturer Welt—identified in the coverage as spun out of a Samsung incubator—calls the SleepQ product 'AI-upgraded pharmacotherapy.'
- The article singled out additional odd AI placements at CES, including hair clippers and stick vacuums.
- The reporting noted at least one instance where a manufacturer seemed uncertain what aspect of its product justified calling it 'AI.'
What to watch next
- Glyde's rollout timetable and details for voice controls and hairstyle recommendation features (confirmed by the company as in development).
- Potential regulatory attention or guidance on AI claims for health-adjacent consumer products (not confirmed in the source).
- Consumer and press reaction to 'AI' labeling on trivial or marginally upgraded gadgets, and whether that changes vendor marketing (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Artificial intelligence (AI): Computer systems or software that perform tasks that typically require human-like perception, reasoning, learning, or decision-making.
- AI coach: A feature that uses algorithms to provide real-time feedback or guidance to a user during an activity.
- AI washing: The practice of labeling products as 'AI' without clear or meaningful technological justification, often to attract attention.
- Pharmacotherapy: Treatment of conditions or symptoms through the use of pharmaceutical drugs or supplements.
Reader FAQ
Are the Glyde clippers actually controlled by AI?
The article describes dynamic adjustment and a real-time AI coach; Glyde said it is developing voice controls and hairstyle recommendations.
Is the SleepQ pill an AI-driven medication?
The packaging described a multivitamin with ashwagandha for sleep and the maker calls it 'AI-upgraded pharmacotherapy,' but no technical details were provided in the source.
Did the reporter test the SleepQ pill at CES?
No — the reporter said they did not try the pill.
Are there examples of manufacturers unsure what makes their product 'AI'?
Yes — the coverage notes at least one case where the maker appeared uncertain about what aspect of the product justified the AI label.
TECH AI GADGETS Most dubious uses of AI at CES 2026 AI is everywhere, but it really shouldn’t be. by Dominic Preston Jan 8, 2026, 6:14 PM UTC 0 0…
Sources
- Most dubious uses of AI at CES 2026
- From musical lollipops to AI hair clippers, here's the …
- The weirdest tech we've seen at CES 2026
- The 8 weirdest tech gadgets I've seen at CES 2026 – so far
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