CES Spotlights B2B Tech Driving Next Industrial Era

By now, the consumerization trend of the B2B space is old news. But if the 2026 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is any indication, the tides of innovation appear to be heading upstream, or at least embracing a two-way street.

At this year’s CES 2026 in Las Vegas, the annual barometer of new consumer electronics pushed boundaries by spotlighting one of the most consequential yet underrepresented arenas of technological evolution: manufacturing.

For the first time in its history, CES is dedicating a formal Future of Manufacturing business-to-business showcase and conference track, positioning itself as a nexus for the industrial technologies redefining how products are designed, built and delivered.

Nvidia and Siemens kicked off the B2B theme Tuesday (Jan. 6) by announcing an expanded partnership focused on developing industrial and physical AI solutions that will “bring AI-driven innovation to every industry and industrial workflow” by enabling factories to cross-reference their own digital twins in real-time before taking approving any actions in the real world.

“Together, we are building the Industrial AI operating system — redefining how the physical world is designed, built and run — to scale AI and create real-world impact,” said Roland Busch, president and CEO of Siemens AG, in a statement.

The new manufacturing track is a significant departure for an event historically focused on consumer-facing innovation.

Read more: B2B Logistics Resets for 2026 as Old Pricing Models Break Down

Moving From Gadgets to Global Production Systems

The inclusion of manufacturing on the global tech stage arrives at a moment when supply chain vulnerabilities and competitive pressures have made resilient production capabilities a strategic imperative. This year’s CES program, open to all attendees, weaves strategic, technological and leadership content aimed squarely at executives, engineers and policy makers navigating the complex intersection of digital and physical systems.

The CES sessions on the agenda range from dialogues such as National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons joining Consumer Technology Association (CTA) CEO Gary Shapiro to discuss “Manufacturing, Innovation, and America’s Competitive Edge,” to deep dives on topics like AI-driven production, global sourcing strategies and adaptive robotics.

AI, once the domain of data centers and consumer apps, is now embedding itself into physical production environments; advanced robotics are moving from pilot projects to day-to-day operations; and digital tools such as simulation and digital twins are enabling predictive, real-time orchestration of complex factory systems.

These evolutions are foundational to what some analysts dub the transition toward “Industry 5.0” or even “Industry 6.0” — paradigms where human-machine collaboration and AI-driven autonomy redefine industrial output.

Also on Tuesday, Universal Robots (UR), part of Teradyne Robotics, and Robotiq, unveiled a new robotic palletizing solution at CES 2026 in collaboration with Siemens.

“This collaboration with Universal Robots and Siemens demonstrates how Lean Palletizing, combined with cutting-edge digital twin technology, can help companies boost efficiency and adapt quickly to changing demands,” said the CEO of Robotiq, Samuel Bouchard in a statement.

The construction, mining and engineering equipment manufacturer Caterpillar will be giving a keynote address at CES on Wednesday (Jan. 7) to highlight how industrial AI and autonomy are unlocking innovation and transforming worksites.

Boston Dynamics also announced on Monday (Jan. 5) that its humanoid robot, Atlas, is entering production and will be deployed starting in 2028 to assist with automotive assembly for Hyundai at the company’s EV (electric vehicle) manufacturing facility in George.

See also: CFOs Rewrote the Playbook on Supply Chain Risk in 2025

Rewiring Supply Chains for a New Industrial Era

By embedding manufacturing into its core programming, CES is also acknowledging a broader narrative: innovation is no longer siloed by sector or function. Advances in AI, robotics and supply chain software are converging to shape entire ecosystems beyond just factory floors.

PYMNTS has covered previously how the integration of AI and predictive analytics into sourcing and logistics software is reshaping procurement strategies. These tools can dynamically evaluate supplier risk profiles, forecast material shortages and recommend mitigation strategies before issues materialize, fostering proactive, data-driven decision-making.

One of the CES panels focused on how OEMs and suppliers that use AI software are leveraging its capabilities to drive more efficient, cost-competitive partnerships.

The digital twin industrial software ecosystems being showcased at CES, for example, claim to enable end-to-end orchestration of supply chains, combining data from myriad touchpoints into actionable insights. The emphasis is on agility — the ability to adapt production plans quickly in response to shifts in demand, material availability or regulatory environments.