The first day of CES 2026 in Las Vegas underscored how deeply artificial intelligence is embedded across the tech industry, with major announcements from Nvidia, AMD and Intel sharing the spotlight with consumer friendly robots, autonomous vehicles and entertainment focused gadgets. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang framed the show’s biggest buzzword as “physical AI,” describing artificial intelligence models trained in virtual, synthetic environments and then deployed into physical machines. He presented Cosmos, an artificial intelligence foundation model trained on massive datasets to simulate physics based environments, and Alpamayo, a model for autonomous driving, while confirming that the next generation Vera Rubin artificial intelligence superchip platform is in full production and that Nvidia has a new partnership with Siemens. Yet the crowd’s attention shifted decisively when two small, waddling, chirping robots joined him on stage.
Chipmakers used CES to reinforce their positions in artificial intelligence driven computing. AMD CEO Lisa Su unveiled a new line of Ryzen artificial intelligence processors aimed at expanding the company’s role in artificial intelligence powered personal computers, and showed off the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D gaming processor for enthusiasts. Intel introduced its Panther Lake artificial intelligence chip for laptops, also known as the Intel Core Ultra Series 3, and previewed a new platform for handheld gaming machines as it works to regain ground lost during the mobile and artificial intelligence booms. The article noted that President Donald Trump’s administration moved to secure a 10% stake in Intel, making the government one of its largest shareholders, with officials framing the move as support for United States technology and domestic manufacturing.
Beyond chips, transportation and entertainment technologies featured strongly. Uber, Lucid Motors and Nuro showed an autonomous robotaxi with an Uber designed cabin that layers personalization features, 360-degree perception and a roof “halo” that displays riders’ initials, with on road testing already underway in San Francisco and a launch targeted before the end of the year. Lucasfilm and Lego announced a Lego Smart Play platform with sensor equipped smart bricks, tags and special minifigs, tied to a new Star Wars partnership for interactive space battles and lightsaber duels. LG teased a humanoid household robot intended to handle chores such as folding laundry and fetching food, while Hyundai owned Boston Dynamics publicly demonstrated its Atlas humanoid robot, planned to help assemble cars and scheduled for deployment by 2028 at Hyundai’s electric vehicle factory near Savannah, Georgia. The show’s quirkier side surfaced with Lollipop Star’s “bone induction technology” musical lollipops, priced at 8.99 each, and Delta Air Lines’ multiyear deal as the official airline of the Sphere in Las Vegas, which includes a Delta SKY360° Club lounge, SkyMiles access to private suites with food and beverages, and prominent branding on the venue’s exterior LED screen.
