It announced that Samsung Electronics would run a series of four moderated “Tech Forum” panels at CES 2026, intended to spotlight big industry shifts and lay out Samsung’s AI vision and strategy in front of partners, analysts, academics, and media. The sessions will take place on January 5–6, 2026, at Samsung’s dedicated exhibition space in the Latour Ballroom, Wynn Las Vegas.

What makes this notable is that Samsung isn’t positioning these forums as “product launch stages.” Instead, they’re structured as public, agenda-driven conversations about the themes Samsung believes will define the next wave of consumer tech-how AI fits into everyday life, what trustworthy AI requires, how TV/streaming business models are changing, and why design will matter even more as AI spreads into everything.

Below is a detailed explanation of what Samsung is doing, why it matters at CES, and what each forum topic signals about where the company-and the broader industry-may be heading in 2026.

1) Why Samsung is doing Tech Forums at CES – and why CES is the right stage
While CES is the show for many companies to trot out new hardware, it’s equally-if-not-more a place for the industry to try to converge on a single narrative about what’s to come for the next year: What’s next “platform”? What are the new defaults going to be around privacy, security, content, user experience? Samsung’s Tech Forums are built for exactly that: creating a narrative with AI living, connected homes, entertainment and design-and putting Samsung as the organizer and thought leader rather than a vendor.

This is Samsung’s announcement, placing the forums in these terms:
highlight industry trends, and

In this way, it presents Samsung’s unique AI vision and strategy.
Samsung Newsroom Samsung Global Newsroom

That phrase-m-distinct AI vision-matters. Over the last couple of years, nearly every major tech brand has made a claim for “AI-first.” But the next phase is about how AI becomes dependable in real daily routines: in the home, in appliances, on screens, in services, and across devices. Samsung can uniquely claim this since it operates in many categories (TVs, appliances, phones, wearables, chips, connectivity platforms, etc.) and thus can make a case for AI as an ecosystem experience rather than a single feature.

Timing’s important, too: The CES Samsung programming usually provides for the event called “The First Look” – an unfolding in the most serious way. Samsung has teased the event as “The First Look 2026” with a view to “Your Companion to AI Living,”. Shows during CES week, along with some tech forums, go until January 7.

Thus, the Tech Forums serve as a sort of “idea bridge”:

First Look sets the vision headline (“AI living”),

Forums debate the implications: ecosystems, trust, models of streaming, and design.

The exhibition area displays the direction of the tangible product.

2. Logistics: dates, venue, overall structure

This is unusually clear operational detail for a press release from Samsung:
When: January 5–6, 2026

Samsung Newsroom

Where: Latour Ballroom, Wynn Las Vegas – Samsung’s private showroom

Samsung Newsroom

How many sessions: Four moderated panels

Samsung Newsroom

Topic categories: AI, Home Appliances, Services, and Design
Newsroom Samsung Global

Who attends: Samsung executives along with partners, academics, media and industry analysts

Samsung Global Newsroom

What else is happening around town: Samsung’s latest product innovations will be on display at the Samsung Exhibition Zone at the Wynn from January 5–7.

These details are important because they reveal that Samsung desires consistent flow and continuity: one can view a panel, then view the demos and product areas, then come back for another session later in the day.

3) The four Tech Forums: titles, timing, and what they really signal

Samsung published the names of all four panels, including session titles, their times, and the leading Samsung executives.

Samsung Newsroom INSIGHTS November 7, 2018

Let’s walk through each and unpack what it implies.

Forum 1: “When Everything Clicks: How Open Ecosystems Deliver Impactful AI”

Date: Jan. 5, 9:00 AM

Samsung lead: Yoonho Choi, Digital Appliances Business, Samsung Electronics (Chair, Home Connectivity Alliance)

Samsung Newsroom – Globally

Description: Samsung’s-this is an open discussion among innovators on the need for cross-industry partnership and what it takes to weave in meaningful smart home technology into daily living.

Samsung Newsroom
What this really is about

Panel Description: This panel is about the “plumbing” of AI living: interoperability and ecosystems.

In 2026, the smart home problem isn’t “can we connect a device?” It’s:
Can devices from different manufacturers cooperate with each other reliably?

Can it be coordinated without the tenuous chain of apps, accounts, and cloud dependencies?

Is it possible for AI context to move across rooms and devices without compromising privacy?

Can setup and maintenance be easy enough for a normal household to use?

When Samsung uses the term “open ecosystems”, it’s implicitly setting up a contrast with closed or semi-closed ecosystems where one company controls most of the integration points. Samsung’s angle is that impactful AI requires many companies to align on standards, APIs, and device behavior – because a home contains many brands.

Another clue is the fact that the Samsung lead is tied to the Home Connectivity Alliance, and a forum by that name is apt to emphasize cross-industry collaboration rather than “Samsung-only” solutions.

Why it matters

If Samsung can credibly push “open ecosystem AI, then it strengthens:

SmartThings and Samsung’s connected-home influence,

the desirability of Samsung appliances as “good citizens” within mixed-brand homes, and

Samsung’s position in standards-based conversations that are happening across CES.

This also ties in with Samsung’s larger message at CES around AI integrated into daily routines, or as the company calls it, “AI living.”

Forum 2: “In Tech We Trust? Rethinking Security & Privacy in the AI Age”

Time: Jan. 5, 2:00 PM

Moderator: Shin Baik, Group Head, AI Platform Center, Samsung Electronics

Description: A panel of experts explores the science behind trust and how transparency and secure systems can light a spark for real change in AI adoption.

Newsroom Samsung Global
What this is really about
This is the “hard reality” panel: AI is spreading, but people -and regulators, and enterprises- are increasingly anxious about:
data collection and retention,

model hallucinations and reliability,

Opaque decisions: “Why did it do that?
Security vulnerabilities, especially in connected devices.

privacy in always-on microphones/cameras,

and the risk of manipulation with AI.

Samsung’s framing of trust, transparency and secure systems is a signal that it wants to pivot the message on AI to one of engineering with governance, privacy design, and security architecture rather than just demos of shiny stuff.

CES audiences love futuristic AI, but adoption hits a wall when people say:

“Is it safe?”

“Is it something like spying?”

“Can I turn it off?”

“Will it keep working in five years?”

“What if my account gets hacked?”

It is a forum that represents Samsung publicly acknowledging the fact that trust is a core product feature and no more a marketing afterthought.

Why it matters

AI features inside appliances, TVs, phones, and home hubs aren’t like optional apps-you live with them. If Samsung can make the case that it’s building AI on strong security and privacy foundations, it can diminish the “AI hesitation” that slows upgrades.

Also, it makes this trust story essential, considering Samsung’s CES programming is centered around AI appliances and “AI living.” As more AI enters the home, the more consumers care about guardrails.

Samsung Newsroom OTHER NEWS MORE Samsung Global Newsroom

Forum 3: “FAST Forward: How Streaming’s Next Wave is Redefining Television”

Date/Time: Jan. 5, 4:00 PM

Samsung lead: Salek Brodsky, Executive Vice President, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics

According to Samsung: Leaders in TV and entertainment are discussing the next wave of streaming, from free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) to hybrid models and creator-led channels, all shaping a more interactive future.

What this really is about

That’s Samsung saying, “The TV war isn’t about just the panel specs; it is also about the economics of content and platform strategy.

FAST, or free, ad-supported streaming TV has grown at an ever-increasing rate globally as audiences have split between:
paid subscriptions (SVOD)

transactional: rent/buy,

Free ad-supported channels, and

Samsung, the leading TV maker, benefits by:

People watch more hours on Samsung TVs.

easily uncover anything and

are meant to stay inside of Samsung’s software layer, home to ads, content partnerships and recommendations.

So, a panel about FAST and “hybrid models” is really a panel about:

how TV companies and platforms monetize over the next decade, and

You’ll learn how interactivity and creator-led channels reshape what “television” even means.

AI is quietly connected here, too: AI-driven recommendations, content discovery, personalized channel lineups, language tools, and interactive experiences all become differentiators. While Samsung isn’t outright saying it, the subtext in light of the overall CES theme and Samsung’s broader AI push is very nearly, “AI fixes streaming fatigue.”

Why it matters

If the TV experience becomes more platform-like, Samsung’s role expands from “screen seller” to “distribution gatekeeper.” That changes:

how Samsung negotiates with content providers.

how it does TV software design.
and the way it competes with streaming hardware ecosystems.
CES is a prime venue for this discussion because media companies, hardware makers, and ad-tech players all attend-and everyone wants to predict where viewer attention is heading.
Forum 4: “The Human Side of Tech: Designing a Future Worth Loving”

Time: Jan. 6, 1:00 PM

Samsung lead: Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer, DX Division, Samsung Electronics

Samsung Newsroom
Description by Samsung: Design thought leaders are pushing the industry to go beyond minimalist, spec-driven design approaches towards expressive, human-centered design informed through new materialism, AI, and creativity.
Samsung Global Newsroom
What is really at issue here

This panel addresses a problem tech companies seldom admit in public: as products become more complex-especially with AI-the user experience can get worse, not better.

Human-centered design in the age of AI will include such questions as:

How do you design AI features so people understand what’s happening?

How do you prevent AI from feeling intrusive or unpredictable?

How do materials, form factors, and interfaces signal trust and comfort?

How do you build products that people are emotionally connected to, and aren’t just “impressed by”?

Samsung’s description explicitly calls out moving beyond “minimalist, spec-driven approaches.” That’s a gentle critique of an industry habit: chasing thinner, faster, brighter-while people increasingly want:

calm tech,

clear controls,

durability,

repairability,

are more personal and less sterile in their design.

Mentioning new materials and creativity suggests that Samsung wants to talk about design as a serious differentiator – not a finishing layer. And tying design to AI is smart: the better AI gets, the more important it becomes to make it feel natural and safe.

Why it matters

As AI becomes ubiquitous, it provides the inverse challenge: many products risk becoming “samey,” because everyone can license similar models or features. Physical and software design becomes the way to differentiate.

This is also likely an attempt at reassuring consumers: “AI living” won’t equate to cold, robotic homes; it can be designed and crafted to be warm, intuitive, and respectful.

4. How these forums connect with Samsung’s broader CES 2026 messaging

Of course, Samsung’s Tech Forums don’t exist in a vacuum; they’re positioned complementary to the product showcases of said company. Samsung themselves explicitly say that the forum discussions complement “latest product innovations” that will be displayed at the Samsung Exhibition Zone at the Wynn from Jan. 5-7.

The theme of Samsung for CES 2026, as folded through “The First Look 2026” teaser, is “Your Companion to AI Living.”

What’s interesting is how each of the forum topics maps onto a core pillar of “AI living:

Open ecosystems → AI that works across brands and devices

Security & privacy → AI that people can trust inside their homes

The next wave of streaming → AI + services + content discovery on screens

Human-centred design → AI experiences that feel intuitive and lovable

That’s essentially a full-stack approach: connectivity + trust + services + experience design.

5. Why Samsung’s choice of topics is strategically smart regarding 2026

If you step back, Samsung chose four topics that each sit at a high-leverage intersection of consumer tech:

A) Ecosystems (interoperability is the new battlefield)

In olden days, hardware specs won. Nowadays, ecosystems win-because people don’t buy devices in isolation; they buy routines. “Open ecosystem” framing lets Samsung appeal to households that aren’t “all Samsung”-which means most households.

Samsung Newsroom/Search

B) Trust – security and privacy are the gates of adoption

The more AI embeds into appliances and home environments, the more privacy concerns become non-negotiable. Putting trust at the center is both defensive, addressing fear, and offensive, differentiating vs. competitors that feel less transparent.

Press Release Samsung Global Newsroom

C) Television and streaming give the margin story.

TV hardware might always be competitive and price-pressured, but services, ads, partnerships, and content discovery can be a source of recurring revenue and long-term engagement. FAST and hybrid streaming models are where those conversations are taking place.

Press Release Samsung Global Newsroom

D) Design: AI needs better UX, not more features.

AI can be overwhelming to the users if design doesn’t make it understandable and controllable. Emphasizing “human-centered” design at Samsung means building a bridge between advanced technologies and everyday comfort.

Newsroom Samsung Newsroom

6. What to watch for, practical takeaways for fans, buyers, and industry watchers

If you’re following Samsung at CES 2026, these forums give you a checklist of what Samsung likely wants to emphasize across its announcements.

Watch for: “Open” smart home moves more talk of cross-brand compatibility More standards messaging More partner name-drop and alliances. This would correspond to the positioning of the panel on “open ecosystems”. Newsroom Samsung Newsroom Watch out for: tangible features of trust, not just promises of it If Samsung is really serious about “trust,” you’ll probably be hearing about: Processing on device versus in cloud trade-offs transparency tools: data used, security-by-design narratives. It is explicitly framed around transparency and secure systems enabling adoption. Samsung Global Newsroom Watch for: TV platform expansion On the streaming side, check for: Fast Channel Growth and Partnerships active viewing experiments, creator-focused distribution angles, Hybrid subscription and ad models Those are direct names taken from the description of the forum itself. Samsung Newsroom Watch for: more expressive design language Main design points to look for from Samsung include: materials, textures, and form factors. interface design that enables understandability of AI. Emotional design by storytelling rather than spec sheets. That’s precisely what the design panel is all about. Press Release Samsung Global Newsroom 7) Brief overview of the plan, including specific times From Samsung’s press release, here are the four CES 2026 Tech Forum panels: Samsung Newsroom Jan. 5, 9:00 AM: When Everything Clicks: How Open Ecosystems Deliver Impactful AI (Yoonho Choi) Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 2:00 PM: In Tech We Trust? Rethinking Security & Privacy in the AI Age (Shin Baik) Jan. 5, 4:00 PM: FAST Forward: How Streaming’s Next Wave is Redefining Television Jan. 6, 1:00 PM: The Human Side of Tech: Designing a Future Worth Loving/Mauro Porcini All hosted at Latour Ballroom, Wynn Las Vegas, alongside Samsung’s CES exhibition presence. Newsroom Samsung Global Why this announcement matters in one sentence CES 2026 won’t be a place where Samsung just shows products but shapes the conversation of how AI should work across ecosystems, earn trust, power media services, and remain human-centered-and then use panels led by top executives to state the case.