At CES 2026 AI Goes Physical With Robots

TechCrunch’s Equity podcast recaps CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where “physical AI” and robotics dominated the show floor. Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane spotlight Boston Dynamics’ redesigned Atlas humanoid and even AI-powered ice makers, arguing AI is moving off screens and into machines that act. They point to robots designed for factory work, drone-catching demos with net guns, and automaker booth performances built to impress attendees. The episode also covers deals and headlines from the week, including Discord’s rumored IPO, xAI’s reported $20 billion raise, and concerns around Grok’s content moderation. They discuss Mobileye’s move into humanoid robotics via its Mentee Robotics acquisition and OpenAI’s talk of audio-first, screenless AI experiences. And what it means for startups, too.

TechCrunch, Theresa Loconsolo, Anthony Ha, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane – CES 2026 was all about ‘physical AI’ and robots, robots, robots – 9th January 2026