CES 2026: AI, Robotics and ROI - Edelman's Take on What's Next for Tech PR
Tech PR is past the hype cycle. The brief now: prove adoption, quantify outcomes, and expand who you call "media." That's the throughline from a conversation with Margot Edelman, who leads Edelman's global tech practice.
She built her career in San Francisco during the startup boom, then moved to New York. That vantage point lets her see what's coming and what's actually sticking with companies and consumers.
San Francisco vs. New York: Why It Matters for Your Messaging
San Francisco is future-focused-ideas, labs, and early signals. New York reflects the pull-through-how tech gets implemented, purchased, and used.
For comms teams, that means pairing "what's next" with "what's working." Talk about vision, then anchor it with customer stories, metrics, and time-to-value.
What Makes Edelman's Tech PR Approach Different
Global spine, local nuance: One lead can drive consistent storytelling across regions using a connected network of teams. That reduces message drift and speeds execution.
Deep tech fluency: Edelman has had an AI Center of Excellence since 2017, led by a former engineer. Translation: technical depth to shape accurate narratives and prep spokespeople for tough questions.
Media expanded: It's not just reporters. Creators, analysts, and new-media operators now influence perception and purchase. Edelman stays close to all three.
2026 Priority: Adoption and ROI (Show, Don't Tell)
Money raised and user counts aren't the headline anymore. Impact is. PR teams should quantify time saved, cost reductions, accuracy gains, revenue lift, and deployment speed.
Customer storytelling is the most credible proof. Capture short, specific narratives that show the before/after and the operational change.
Physical AI Is Here: Robotics Needs Clear Storylines
CES floors made it obvious: robotics is having a moment. The opportunity for comms is to make the tech legible to buyers and the public.
- Define the job-to-be-done: fulfillment, elder care, inspection, hospitality, or home.
- Explain safety, reliability, and handoff protocols with people.
- Show total cost of ownership vs. current methods, not just features.
- Tie demos to measurable outcomes in real environments.
Press at CES: Harder in One Way, Bigger in Another
Traditional press teams are leaner and selective. At the same time, analysts and creators are everywhere-and they want hands-on access and clear angles.
Adjust your plan: fewer mass pitches, more tailored briefings. Treat analysts and creators like priority media with embargoes, assets, and data they can use.
Stay Close to the Beat: Talk to Journalists Regularly
Margot runs a monthly "meet the media" series to stay aligned with what reporters are actually covering. You don't need a big platform to copy the idea.
Host recurring small-group conversations. Keep them short, useful, and tied to your category's news cycle.
What PR Teams Should Do Next
- Build a proof library: 10-20 short customer snapshots with metric-backed outcomes and quotes.
- Create an adoption dashboard for spokespeople: deployment timelines, integrations, security posture, and payback period.
- Expand your media map: top 30 creators and 15 analysts who influence your buyers. Offer previews and structured briefs.
- Stand up a robotics/physical AI narrative: safety, compliance, human-in-the-loop, and ROI by use case.
- Run a monthly journalist roundtable: rotate beats (AI safety, enterprise adoption, chips, robotics) and share real data.
- Global consistency, local relevance: one core story, localized proof points and policy context.
Signals to Watch
- Which AI features are moving from demo to default in enterprise suites.
- Where robotics shifts from pilot to procurement (logistics, retail back-of-house, healthcare support).
- Chip updates and partnerships that change capability and cost curves. For context, see Nvidia or AI platform players like OpenAI.
Upskill Your Team on AI (Fast)
If your spokespeople can't explain model basics, data privacy, and evaluation metrics, your message will stall. Tighten the fundamentals and practice the hard questions.
Useful starting points for structured learning: AI courses by job role and the latest AI courses.
Bottom Line
This year is about proof. Pair visionary narratives with adoption metrics, broaden who you brief, and make robotics legible to decision-makers.
Do that consistently, and your coverage will reflect business impact-not just headlines.
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