Remember when the big news out of CES used to be robot vacuum cleaners and fridges with flat screens? Those were the days.

This year the Consumer Electronics Show—the largest venue in the world for debuting new gadgets—was, predictably, all about AI, and while the robot vacs and screen-clad kitchen appliances were still on hand, they were powered by artificial intelligence in ways the Jetsons could only have imagined.

For anyone looking to get in on the action at this month’s event, the first task was to figure out the real products from the prototypes that will never see a retail shelf. That alone was a daunting task: One of the biggest challenges of CES is separating hype from reality. After that, it was a matter of trying to understand which of these AI-driven doodads consumers will actually want—and be willing to pay for.

Even if you weren’t there in person (full disclosure, we weren’t), the reports coming out of Las Vegas were wild in scale and scope. Again, take all of this with a dollop of skepticism. Some of us are still waiting for that flying car we were promised.

Vacuum Packed
Yes, the automatic vacuums were still roaming around the Las Vegas Convention Center. Back when all of this technology first surfaced, who would have guessed the lowly vacuum cleaner would be the robot product most consumers first encountered. Ironically enough, iRobot, the maker of the Roomba, filed for bankruptcy in December, but the concept is far from dead. Take the new Roborock Saros Rover, which actually climbs stairs (cleaning them in the process, of course) with what it calls “wheel legs.”

Other new CES introductions clean and wash carpeting and rugs (Robotin R2) and handle small spaces or have super-duper suction (Eureka’s Z50 and E10 Evo Plus). Outside the house, Mammotion’s Luba 3 AWD and Yuka Mini 2 will mow your lawn even if you’ve got sloped topography.

Robotics
A rarity at CES: a robot that actually looks like a robot. Korean electronics giant LG’s humanlike CLOiD, dubbed “affectionately intelligent,” is designed to anticipate your household needs and do all sorts of chores, from cooking to loading the dishwasher and folding laundry, not to mention helping you work out. LG said it was demonstrating the CLOiD for their “Zero Labor Home” concept, an environment where appliances become agents that continuously improve your home without explicit direction. Its home robot is part of a broader trend—a sizable handful of humanoid bot startups are making bold claims about what their products can do. But since many of them struggle with basic tasks, let’s not get too excited just yet.

Kitchen Confidential
Fridges with screens are old news—the new thing is adding AI into the mix. Samsung and GE both showed smart fridges that track what’s inside and theoretically alert you when you need to buy more of something, while Hisense’s AI Agent Suite connects many of your major appliances to coordinate kitchen activities. All pretty sophisticated, but at a time when consumers are craving fewer screens at home, it’s worth asking whether this kind of tech will see widespread adoption.

The Weird and Wonderful
How about the Vivoo Smart Toilet, which monitors real-time hydration levels in ways that I really don’t want to know the details of? But at $99, it may be hard to resist. There’s the iPolish digital press-on nails that I don’t understand, and the Lollipop Star thingamajig that plays music in your mouth when you suck on it. Or maybe you want an AI-powered smart hair clipper, or picture frames that generate art by voice command? They were all there—although that may be the last place you see them.

CES doesn’t promise to be a trade show like High Point or Atlanta, where the products on display are real and can be purchased with a reasonable assurance that they will actually do what they say they will once you get them in your store or home. You’ve got to appreciate the creativity, innovation and effort that went into these introductions, even if what happened in Vegas ends up staying in Vegas.

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Warren Shoulberg is the former editor in chief for several leading B2B publications. He has been a guest lecturer at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business; received honors from the International Furnishings and Design Association and the Fashion Institute of Technology; and been cited by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN and other media as a leading industry expert. His Retail Watch columns offer deep industry insights on major markets and product categories.