Summary

The CES 2026 in Las Vegas shows an industry in transition: NVIDIA dominates with announcements on Blackwell and Rubin chips and signs a strategic partnership with Siemens for AI-powered industrial automation. Intel introduces new Core Ultra processors and competes with AMD and Qualcomm for market share in the AI-PC segment. Robotics emerges as the next major growth opportunity, driven by Qualcomm and Mobileye, which are expanding with investments in humanoid robots and autonomous systems. The streaming sector remains controversial: Warner Bros. rejects Paramount's revised offer. AI valuations remain questionable, but Applied-AI companies show concrete business models.

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Topics

  • AI chips and semiconductor industry
  • Robotics and humanoid systems
  • Autonomous driving and physical AI
  • Streaming consolidation
  • Edge computing and PC market
  • AI valuations and IPO pipeline

Detailed Summary

NVIDIA and Chip Dominance

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Wong confirms impressive growth dynamics at CES 2026. The company announced in October that it would generate 500 billion dollars in sales volume over five fiscal years through Blackwell and Rubin chips. Wong hints that this figure could be exceeded as new models and business sectors enter AI integration. Hopper prices are already under pressure in the cloud market, indicating high demand.

Wong highlights the complexity of current systems: 15,000 years of engineering work went into the Vera Rubin systems. A strategic partnership with Siemens is intended to manage this complexity. Siemens CEO Roland Busch and Wong describe this as the beginning of a new "Industrial Revolution": Siemens is opening its EDA software, simulation tools, and Teamcenter platform to NVIDIA technologies. This enables AI-powered design, simulation, and production processes – from chip design to factory automation.

The memory chip industry is experiencing a price rally. SanDisk has risen over 50 percent in the first three trading days of the year. This follows a classic cycle: when there is scarcity, prices rise because producers cannot increase capacity quickly enough.

Intel's Fight for Relevance

Intel executive Jim Johnson presents the new Core Ultra Series 3 with 18A process node as a turning point. These processors combine performance and energy efficiency: 40 percent lower power consumption with similar performance to the previous generation. Johnson emphasizes GPU performance with the Multiframe Generation feature for mobile gaming – four times higher frame rates possible.

The central problem remains price: memory chips are becoming more expensive, and Intel must manage these costs. Johnson is cautious about the 2026 market. While some forecasts predict a 9 percent decline, Intel hopes for stability through AIPC demand. Edge computing is becoming increasingly important: factory operators are already demanding Series 3 processors for local AI inference.

Intel is working with its own foundry: The 18A nodes use the latest EUV technology (SML) and new innovations such as Rib & Fett and Gate-All-Around transistors as well as Backside Power Delivery. This brings 15 percent better performance per watt and 30 percent higher chip density.

Qualcomm and the Robotics Expansion

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon explains that robotics represents the next major opportunity for edge AI – similar to the strategy Qualcomm has pursued in the automotive sector. Robots cannot carry a server; they need battery life and sensor integration. Amon cites partnerships with KUKA and Figure AI as examples.

The company expects industrial robot deployments as early as 2026. Consumer humanoids in households will come later. Amon argues for a graduated model: first assisted functions (Level 2-3), later full autonomy.

Mobileye and Mentee: Physical AI Expands

Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua announces the acquisition of Mentee Robotics for 900 million dollars (combination of cash and Mobileye shares) – closing in Q1 2026. The move unites Mobileye expertise in autonomous driving with robotics technology. Shashua sees synergies: computer vision, AI infrastructure, and AI talent.

Mobileye plans a two-phase model for robots:

Phase 1 (structured environments): Warehouses, factories, distribution. Robots cost approximately 20,000 dollars, can be rented or purchased. Deployment expected from 2028.

Phase 2 (unstructured environments): Households. This requires continuous learning. Mentee uses a technology called Mentory: A robot observes a human demonstrating a new task. Videos go to the cloud, a foundation model trains in the simulator and sends the code back – training in minutes instead of hours.

Mobileye has since achieved success in autonomous driving: With Volkswagen Autonomous Cars, Moya plans to introduce 100,000 robotaxis in 8 years. Q3 2025 should see the first driver removed. The sensor system costs 10,000–12,000 dollars; computing is inexpensive. Mobileye also manages 19 million ADAS units (surround cameras and radars).

To clarify a conflict of interest: Shashua explains that his son works at Mentee but holds only 0.00001 percent of the shares – an immaterial stake.

Speculation: NVIDIA and AI21

When asked about potential NVIDIA acquisitions, Shashua mentions AI21 Labs. NVIDIA may be interested, but according to Shashua, there are no public discussions. AI21 works on foundation models and agents – no direct connection to Mobileye's or Mentee's physical AI.

Streaming Battle: Warner Bros. vs. Paramount-Skydance

Warner Bros. rejects Paramount's revised offer of 30 dollars per share and calls it "inadequate". The company is betting on a Netflix combination. Quickplay CEO Paul Paster analyzes the legacy network valuation: traditional broadcast and cable assets are losing value, but ad prices and subscriber models remain relevant.

Paster warns of M&A distractions: if Warner Bros. and Netflix merge, the combination could fall behind faster-innovating platforms like TikTok and YouTube due to internal integration focus. AI will be a differentiating factor: Disney's partnership with OpenAI signals a possible future of personalized content.

Quickplay offers white-label OTT services and uses AI to convert long-form content into short-form videos and respond to social media signals.

AI Valuations and IPO Pipeline

General Catalyst CEO Hemant Taneja differentiates between pure research projects and Applied-AI companies. The latter prove to be more durable. Anthropic, for example, has efficient capital allocation, strong models, and genuine use cases. Taneja considers an Anthropic IPO possible within the next 12–18 months, but uncertainties about market dynamics make forecasts difficult.

Discord forgoes an immediate IPO, despite 200 million monthly users. The company has a new executive structure with Activision Blizzard alumni as CEO to improve monetization. The US tech IPO pipeline is active in 2025: 15 billion dollars were raised on US exchanges – four times more than 2024.

Robot Innovation at CES

Bloomberg reporter Sam Kelly documents live demos: robots play table tennis, serve lattes, play chess. LG showed its Cloid robot folding laundry. Challenges remain: wrist dexterity, leg movement, and speed. Household humanoids are not immediately ready for deployment.

In the healthcare sector, promising applications emerge: intelligent braces track longevity data and warn of high blood pressure; smart rings and smartwatches expand into sleep tracking and sleep apnea detection. Aura CEO Tom Hale discusses FDA alignment for health claims.

Autonomous Driving: NVIDIA vs. Mobileye

A subtle competition between NVIDIA and Mobileye emerges: NVIDIA presents a full-stack solution for autonomous driving. Jensen Wong and Amnon Shashua conducted a dialogue-like discussion in which both systems praise each other – but acknowledge mutual dependence. Mobileye emphasizes cost-effective solutions and established customer relationships (Volkswagen, US OEM with 9 million units).

Key Takeaways

  • NVIDIA dominates with Blackwell and Rubin; the Siemens partnership integrates AI into Industry 4.0 processes
  • Intel fights with new processors and foundry strategy; memory costs remain critical
  • Robotics is the focus area for 2026: Qualcomm and Mobileye are expanding; Phase-1 deployments in factories begin from 2026–2028
  • Streaming consolidation: Warner Bros. rejects Paramount, bets on Netflix merger; AI personalization becomes differentiator
  • Applied-AI companies (e.g., Anthropic) show durability; IPO pipeline revives (15 billion USD in 2025)
  • Edge computing grows: factories and consumer devices run AI inference locally
  • Autonomous driving remains strategic; Mobileye technology is cost-effective, NVIDIA