What to Expect at IFA 2026: AI Is the Name of the Game

Editor's Note: This article is sponsored by IFA 2026. It has been updated with key points on August 18.

IFA 2026 is coming back soon and is set to take the world by storm. The event will highlight how “the future is now” in the realms of AI, smart homes, digital health, robotics, and much more. At IFA 2024, IGN was excited to see Acer announce the Nitro Blaze 7, its own contender to Steam Deck OLED and the Asus ROG Ally X. And in 2025, we saw a ton of home tech reveals from the likes of Eufy and Anker, with Eufy's new MarsWalker robot vacs and UV printers, and Anker's new Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro not-so-portable high-end projector. (It comes on wheels and boasts 3,500 ANSI lumens versus its portable Nebula Capsule that hits a max of 300 lumens, with Dolby surround sound to boot.)

That said, there is a lot of excitement in store for IFA this year, and this guide will share exactly what you can expect from the event so far.

IFA is the world’s biggest home and consumer tech event. Happening in Berlin, it hosts some of the world's leading innovative tech brands like Samsung, Acer, Anker, Eufy, Hisense and more, all gathering in one place to show off tons of cool, new, and interesting consumer gadgets and products. There's everything from gaming tech to home tech, and something exciting at every corner, no matter what you're into.

“Artificial intelligence is no longer just a promise,” says Leif Lindner, CEO of IFA Management. “Smart homes are no longer a vision. Digital health is becoming part of everyday life… The future is not waiting somewhere five or 10 years away. It is already in our homes, in our pockets, in our cars, in our health routines.”

AI and digital health is the theme of this year’s IFA, and the show promises to show more of how AI has “stopped being its own category and started becoming the connective tissue underneath everything else.” And yes, this also includes beauty, preventative health tools, connected fitness, wellness tech, and beauty devices, which signal consumers are looking for tech that “supports a more personalized, healthier daily routine.”

Speaking of personalization, last year's event brought in new robots that were very popular amongst attendees, including the KATA Friend AI pet shown below. There are new, impressive robots that people have never seen before at every show, and in nearly every category you can think of. Some are cute like this advanced digital pet, and others are more practical for every day routines and activities, including a stair-climbing robot vacuum or the Acemate Tennis Robot, the world's first AI-powered robot capable of true, real-time play.

Those in attendance or following along will be able to see these shifts and changes from the lens of a global CEO, a retailer, a startup founder, a content creator, a journalist, and a consumer, and it’s one of the few places that allows for these interactions to happen under one roof.

Furthermore, IFA will be more than just a showfloor, as it plans to utilize Sommergarter, the show’s open-air venue, to host BUNT’s electronic set on September 3, Luciano’s rap/hip-hop mix on September 4, Ikkimel & Friends bringing trap, techno, and Berlin club energy on September 5, and live podcast recordings from Mord auf Ex and Wine Wednesday on September 6.

The ICC Berlin, a protected 1979 landmark that has been closed for over a decade, will also reopen for IFA 2026, providing even more ways for attendees to engage and make the most of the opportunities the event offers.

You! But seriously, tech enthusiasts and general shoppers are welcome to attend. The event will have everybody from global owners to creators to startups to retailers in attendance. For more information, check out IFA 2026’s website, as well as the ticket information for BUNT, Luciano, and Ikkimel & Friends.

IGN will be in attendance at IFA 2026 next week and we look forward to seeing what new gadgets will go viral this year.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.