Why Global Tech Trends Signal a Wake-Up Call for the Aftermarket — Lessons from CES 2026

Why Global Tech Trends Signal a Wake-Up Call for the Aftermarket — Lessons from CES 2026

For many people in the aftermarket and third-party office supplies world, CES has never been “required reading.” It’s often seen as a consumer electronics spectacle—impressive, futuristic, and (let’s be honest) a bit far from the daily realities of supplies, service, and distribution.

I used to think the same.

In fact, CES 2026 was my first visit in nearly 20 years. In our industry, not many people talk about going—and for a long time, I didn’t feel I was missing anything critical. That’s exactly why I want to share what I saw this year. Because CES 2026 made one thing very clear: AI is no longer a concept. It’s already operating.

Seeing AI in the Real World (Not the Slide Deck)

Walking the show floor, it didn’t feel like AI was being “added” to products. It felt like AI was becoming the operating layer behind them—inside workflows, devices, and industrial systems. The tone had shifted from “Look what we can demo” to “Here’s what we’re deploying, scaling, and shipping.”

This is why CES 2026 reminded me so strongly of Deborah Hawkins’ keynote at the RemaxWorld Expo last October. She argued that AI in the print and document industry was moving quickly from concept to implementation—especially in document understanding, predictive maintenance, security, and service automation. At the time, it sounded like a near-future roadmap. CES confirmed that we are already on that road, whether we planned to be or not.

A Show-Floor Moment: “Alliances on Stage”

One scene captured the new reality perfectly: the way Lenovo framed its CES message. It wasn’t presented as “Lenovo versus the world.” It was presented as a coalition—partners, platforms, and silicon leaders visibly aligned around a shared direction. The message wasn’t subtle: AI will not be won by a single company working alone. It will be built by ecosystems.

That theme showed up everywhere at CES, not just in tech announcements but in the atmosphere itself. Within minutes, you can tell this isn’t a show “for Americans.” You hear languages from all over the world—executives, engineers, media, buyers, and partners comparing notes in the hallways. CES felt like a global meeting point for where technology is headed next, not just a product launch party.

And yes, it is still Las Vegas—so you’ll see plenty of bright lights. But what stood out to me was that the most important signals weren’t neon. They were organizational: who is partnering with whom, and how fast those partnerships are moving.

Why This Matters for Third-Party Supplies and Services

If you’re in the aftermarket, it’s tempting to think: “Interesting—but that’s an OEM or big-tech story.” CES 2026 convinced me that this is a risky assumption.

Even if third-party suppliers never build an AI platform, we will operate inside a market shaped by AI platforms: changing customer expectations, changing cost structures, and changing definitions of “good enough.” AI will influence service models, logistics decisions, support processes, and even how product quality is measured and maintained.

This is why trying to absorb AI’s impact alone is inefficient—and in some cases, unrealistic. The smarter path is to work with trusted partners who bring complementary strengths, whether that’s technology, data, logistics, workflow expertise, or customer access. Alliances are not just a “big company” strategy anymore. They are becoming a practical survival strategy.

What’s Likely Over the Next 2–3 Years (More Practical View)

Over the next two to three years, the AI impact will feel less like “technology news” and more like daily operations. Customer support will shift first: AI copilots and chat-based triage will handle routine questions, guide troubleshooting, and route the hard cases to humans faster—especially as remote diagnostics and predictive alerts become standard. Demand forecasting and inventory planning will also tighten. Even modest AI adoption can improve reorder timing, reduce stockouts, and cut slow-moving inventory—meaning the winners will be the companies that turn data into fewer surprises (and fewer emergency shipments).

Quality assurance is another area where the bar will rise. AI-assisted inspection—whether for print performance, component consistency, or anomaly detection—can make quality checks faster and more consistent, and it may even help identify patterns linked to returns or field failures. In parallel, partner selection becomes more “real-world” than ever: you’ll need partners who can integrate (APIs, data formats), protect data (security), and commit to measurable outcomes (SLAs, uptime, response times). The practical question won’t be “Do you use AI?” but “Can you prove it improves cost, quality, and service—without breaking trust?”

Why I’m Sharing This (After Skipping CES for 20 Years)

To be clear, I’m not saying every aftermarket professional needs to book a flight to Las Vegas next January. I skipped CES for two decades, and business did not stop.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: CES has become a place where the direction of technology, partnerships, and investment is signaled early and openly. You can choose not to attend—but choosing not to understand those signals is a different decision altogether.

Think of CES less as a trade show and more as a weather forecast. You don’t have to like the forecast. You don’t have to stand outside in the storm. But ignoring it rarely improves the outcome.

After returning to CES after 20 years, my perspective changed—and I wanted to share that shift with industry colleagues who may still feel comfortably distant from it all. AI is already reshaping the landscape. The only real question is whether we adjust our route in time or notice the road has changed after we’ve missed the exit.

About the Author

Koichi Yoshizuka is the founder and CEO of QRIE Ltd., established in 2005. QRIE specializes in importing and wholesaling compatible inks and toners for printers. The company has successfully expanded into online sales through its e-commerce site and major platforms like Rakuten, Amazon, and Yahoo! Shopping, serving a diverse clientele ranging from corporate clients to individual consumers. Renowned for quality and affordability, QRIE has won Rakuten’s Shop of the Year award in the Electronics category three times.

In addition, QRIE is actively developing new digital businesses and products driven by employee innovation. Today, QRIE boasts annual sales revenue of approximately USD 14 million and employs 45 dedicated staff members. Under Koichi Yoshizuka’s leadership, QRIE continues to thrive and innovate in the competitive printer supplies market.

Koichi Yoshizuka was also a featured speaker at the RemaxWorld Summit 2024, held in October during the RemaxWorld Expo in Zhuhai, China. In his address, he highlighted the unique characteristics of the Japanese printing and copying market.

For communication, you can contact Koichi Yoshizuka on LinkedIn.

Other posts from Koichi:

• Canon Marketing Japan’s Valuation Surge: Lessons for the Aftermarket
• What ASKUL’s Pivot Teaches Us About Surviving a Shrinking Market
• Japan’s Journey to Paperless: Digitization and the Decline of Office Printing
• The Inevitable Decline of Postal Services in a Paperless World
• How Tokyo’s Digital Reform Threatens Japan’s Office Supply Industry
• Japan’s Digital Address Revolution Reshapes Logistics
• Japan Post’s ¥370 Billion Logistics Overhaul: Implications for QRIE and the Wider Printing Supplies Industry

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