From January 6 to 9 (local time), CES 2026, the “opening grand event” of the global technology community in 2026, was held in Las Vegas, the United States. This year’s exhibition attracted more than 4,100 enterprises from over 150 countries and regions worldwide. According to statistics from professional media, 915 exhibitors at this CES were from China, among which about 350 were Shenzhen-based enterprises, accounting for nearly 40% of China’s total exhibitors.
At this exhibition, the Shenzhen delegation demonstrated systematic and ecological innovation capabilities, achieving “full-scenario penetration” of AI hardware. It made a concentrated splash in various fields such as robotics, AR glasses, optical storage systems and drones, integrating “AI” into every circuit board, every motor and every kilowatt-hour of green electricity, thus redefining every moment of daily life.
Panoramic Scan: Shenzhen Delegation Wins Multiple Awards at CES
Compared with previous editions, CES 2026 had a particularly strong “AI flavor”. With the accelerated evolution of embodied intelligence technology, the intelligence level of humanoid robots has been significantly improved. Shenzhen enterprises are no longer satisfied with mere technology demonstrations; instead, they delve into real-life scenarios, showing the world the infinite possibilities of technology commercialization.
At the Pasini booth, the humanoid robot TORA-ONE skillfully made ice cream—from pulling the lever, precise handling and stable dispensing to smoothly handing the finished product to the experiencer, a series of movements were executed in a seamless and flowing manner. The outstanding end-to-end autonomous task execution capability demonstrated by this Shenzhen enterprise attracted a crowd of on-site visitors who stopped to take photos.
Exquisite technology has made “Shenzhen Smart Manufacturing” a shining star at CES. Insta360, a cross-industry innovator, launched its new product “InstaFly A1”. With 360-degree panoramic imaging, immersive flight perspective and somatosensory control, it has redefined the way people use drones. Combined with AI intelligent editing functions, it has quickly emerged in the global market. The product not only won the “Best Innovation Award” in the drone category at CES 2026, but also bagged a number of top industry honors including Time magazine’s 2025 Best Inventions, Good Design Award 2025 and Red Dot Design Award.
Thanks to their core innovation and product creativity, many Shenzhen enterprises have won the “CES 2026 Innovation Award”: AERSENSE launched the AT-S3000 series explosion-proof 3D cameras, solving the safety problems of traditional industrial 3D cameras applied in hazardous environments; Shokz developed the OpenDots ONE clip-on earphones, bringing a brand-new auditory experience with its unique wearing method… From industrial products to consumer goods, these enterprises are accelerating the empowerment of artificial intelligence technology, which has become a key measure to enhance the intelligence level of products.
In-depth Interpretation: A “Three-step Leap” from Supply Chain to Innovation Chain
Looking at CES in recent years, the presence of Chinese enterprises has been increasing. In the past, Chinese enterprises were often labeled as “low-cost OEM manufacturers”, lacking the right to speak on underlying technologies and struggling to integrate into the ecosystem of emerging technologies. A decade ago, home appliances, mobile phones and computers made by Chinese enterprises were regulars at CES, and the purpose of their participation was simple—to enhance brand awareness in the North American market. According to a study by a US research firm at that time, only 6% of Americans across the country could correctly name a Chinese brand.
Today, Chinese enterprises are increasingly characterized by “independent innovation” and “core smart manufacturing”. The rich AI hardware ecosystem has created a series of new products, bringing convenience to work and life. Among them, Shenzhen manufacturing has realized a transformation from a follower to a leader—evolving from OEM manufacturing to building its own brands, and then seizing the artificial intelligence opportunity to establish systematic advantages.
Facing the wave of artificial intelligence development, Shenzhen enterprises, relying on their technological innovation and industrial chain supporting advantages, have won numerous awards and secured a steady stream of orders. They have not only become an important part of the global supply chain, but also grown into independent innovation engines. With strong R&D capabilities and rapid product iteration capabilities, they continue to forge ahead in the tide of development.
The thriving performance of Shenzhen enterprises at overseas exhibitions is inseparable from the full-chain innovation ecosystem built by the city. Shenzhen has continuously promoted the in-depth integration of the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain and talent chain, built an innovation system with enterprises as the main body and efficient collaboration among industry, universities and research institutions, and accelerated the formation of a first-class innovation ecosystem conducive to the emergence of original achievements and the effective transformation of scientific and technological achievements.
Driven by both policy and market, the momentum of innovation is surging. On the policy front, Shenzhen is building an innovation-oriented city in an all-round way, striving to create the best scientific and technological innovation ecosystem and talent development environment; on the market front, enterprises are continuously broadening their “moats” with high R&D investment. The proportion of R&D investment by enterprises in the city has remained above 93%, with the total volume ranking first in the country for a long time; the number of PCT international patent applications has ranked first among Chinese cities for 22 consecutive years. These numerous honors have forged the core competitiveness of Shenzhen enterprises in exploring the global market.
Global Competition: Shenzhen Becomes a “Key Node” in the Smart Hardware Ecosystem
This year’s CES has become a stage for enterprises around the world to compete in new technologies. From hardware to software, in-depth innovation has made AI technology play a key role in global competition.
Currently, Shenzhen is emerging as a “key node” in the global smart hardware ecosystem, strongly driving the in-depth integration of AI technology and industry. According to statistics, the number of AI-related enterprises in Shenzhen has exceeded 2,200, and the city has released nearly 300 “City + AI” application scenarios in total. Taking embodied intelligence as an example, the localization rate of core components of leading humanoid robot enterprises in Shenzhen exceeds 90%, and the localization rate of the industrial chain and supply chain is as high as 60%. The strong local supporting capacity has enabled more innovative achievements to be quickly implemented and transformed.
In many cutting-edge tracks, Shenzhen has formed cluster advantages, reshaping the global competition pattern. As the city with the highest “density” of the global low-altitude industry, Shenzhen is racing at full speed to become the “world’s first city of low-altitude economy”; in fields such as new energy vehicles and autonomous driving, Shenzhen has also built a closed loop of policy support, industrial agglomeration and application implementation. Led by leading enterprises such as Huawei and BYD, a large number of small and medium-sized “hidden champions” have formed clusters, and the global competitiveness of Shenzhen enterprises is increasingly enhanced.
Facing the new opportunities brought by new industries, Shenzhen has gradually built comprehensive competitiveness ranging from core components to ecological integration. In Shenzhen, the infinite possibilities of the “AI+” era are being turned into reality.
