While CES 2026 is full of tech giants unveiling their latest innovations, the real excitement comes from discovering unexpected, quirky gadgets that make you ask, “Who thought of this?” We’re here to spotlight the wildest products we’ve found so far at CES 2026, from an AI-powered panda that responds to your touch, to Razer’s holographic anime assistant, and plenty more weirdness that makes you do...
While CES 2026 is full of tech giants unveiling their latest innovations, the real excitement comes from discovering unexpected, quirky gadgets that make you ask, “Who thought of this?” We’re here to spotlight the wildest products we’ve found so far at CES 2026, from an AI-powered panda that responds to your touch, to Razer’s holographic anime assistant, and plenty more weirdness that makes you do a double-take. An AI anime companion that watches you from your desk Razer’s Project AVA, originally introduced last year as an esports AI coach, has evolved into something new: 5.5-inch animated holographic desk companion that can assist with gaming strategies, productivity, daily organization, and even personal advice. It’s both a gaming ally and an everyday assistant. Users can choose from different characters, such as the anime girl Kira or the muscular Zane. These digital avatars feature lifelike movements, eye-tracking, expressive faces, and lip-syncing for realistic interactions. What really stands out, though, is the constant monitoring — the device watches you and your screen using the built-in camera. It’s a bit unsettling, but since it’s still just a concept, there’s no guarantee it’ll ever become a real product. A cuddly AI baby panda robot for older adults AI Panda AnAn rests by the window on the desk Image Credits:Mind With Heart Robotics An’An, the latest AI pet from Mind with Heart Robotics, combines an adorable design with a meaningful mission: supporting elderly care. The panda bot has high-tech sensors all over its body, so it reacts naturally when you touch it. Its emotional AI remembers your voice, how you interact, and what you like, so the longer you spend time with An’An, the more personalized it gets. It provides around-the-clock emotional support to combat loneliness. Additionally, for older adults who might be struggling with memory, An’An helps keep them engaged, reminds them about daily tasks, and keeps caregivers in the loop about their well-b...
As Bitcoin miners increasingly pivot toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing (HPC), many assume their biggest competition will come from cloud giants such as Amazon, Google or Microsoft. According to Frank Holmes, executive chairman of HIVE Digital Technologies, the reality is ...
As Bitcoin miners increasingly pivot toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing (HPC), many assume their biggest competition will come from cloud giants such as Amazon, Google or Microsoft. According to Frank Holmes, executive chairman of HIVE Digital Technologies, the reality is ...
At CES 2026, PepsiCo announced a multi-year collaboration with Siemens and NVIDIA to deploy physics-based digital twins and AI across its plants and supply chain, after early U.S. pilots showed faster design cycles and lower capital spending needs. This move positions PepsiCo as an early large-scale adopter of industrial metaverse tools in consumer packaged goods, using high-fidelity 3D simulation...
At CES 2026, PepsiCo announced a multi-year collaboration with Siemens and NVIDIA to deploy physics-based digital twins and AI across its plants and supply chain, after early U.S. pilots showed faster design cycles and lower capital spending needs. This move positions PepsiCo as an early large-scale adopter of industrial metaverse tools in consumer packaged goods, using high-fidelity 3D simulations to test facility changes virtually and identify most operational issues before they occur on the factory floor. Next, we’ll examine how PepsiCo’s use of Siemens’ Digital Twin Composer and NVIDIA Omniverse could reshape its technology-driven investment narrative. The end of cancer? These 29 emerging AI stocks are developing tech that will allow early identification of life changing diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. PepsiCo Investment Narrative Recap To own PepsiCo, you need to believe its global snacks and beverages franchises, supported by consistent dividends, can justify a premium valuation despite modest growth and high debt. The new Siemens and NVIDIA collaboration strengthens its cost and efficiency story, but the biggest near term swing factor still looks like execution on broader North America cost cuts, including SKU reductions, which carries some risk if it crimps future growth capacity. The digital twin announcement fits alongside PepsiCo’s earlier plan to increase automation and digital tools across its North America supply chain after discussions with Elliott Investment Management. Together, these efforts frame a clearer near term catalyst around productivity and core operating margin expansion, even as the company balances those initiatives against the risk of cutting too deeply into its product and manufacturing base. Yet investors should also be aware that productivity gains can come at a cost if PepsiCo trims capacity too aggressively... Read the full narrative on PepsiCo (it's free!) PepsiCo's narrative projects $101.5 billion revenue and $11.8 billio...
Newly-inaugurated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ’s housing agenda is facing its first test as the city balks at the bankruptcy sale of thousands of rent-stabilized apartments owned by Pinnacle Group, where residents have railed against living conditions. City authorities on Monday asked a bankruptcy judge to delay a Chapter 11 auction scheduled for Thursday, saying they need more time to both...
Newly-inaugurated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ’s housing agenda is facing its first test as the city balks at the bankruptcy sale of thousands of rent-stabilized apartments owned by Pinnacle Group, where residents have railed against living conditions. City authorities on Monday asked a bankruptcy judge to delay a Chapter 11 auction scheduled for Thursday, saying they need more time to both evaluate a proposed $451 million deal to Summit Properties USA and “explore any potential alternatives.” After the buildings were put into bankruptcy last year, Summit offered to buy dozens of buildings in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx and Queens in the form of a stalking horse bid, meaning the transaction is subject to potentially better offers at auction. Advisers representing the bankrupt properties haven’t provided the city with information about Summit’s ability to consummate the proposed sale or whether it is willing and financially able to repair the buildings, New York City Corporate Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant said in a court filing. The Pinnacle-owned buildings owe the city $12.7 million for unpaid debts and housing violations, the city said. “Completion of the bankruptcy auction process will bring financial stability along with the opportunity to stabilize services, outcomes which we would expect the City would not want to disrupt,” Pinnacle lawyer Ken Fisher said in an email. Summit didn’t immediately return a message Tuesday seeking comment. The challenge follows an assertion from Mamdani, just hours into his term as mayor, that the city would intervene in the bankruptcy to protect tenants. It foreshadows the 34-year-old’s ambitious plans after he campaigned with a relentless focus on affordability, particularly around housing, ahead of his ascent to chief overseer of the most populous city in the US. Residents have dealt with a lack of heating, roaches and “the kind of conditions that no New Yorker should have to live through,” Mamdani said at a press conferenc...
is The Verge’s senior AI reporter. An AI beat reporter for more than five years, her work has also appeared in CNBC, MIT Technology Review, Wired UK, and other outlets. Grok began 2026 as it began 2025: under fire for its AI-generated images. Elon Musk’s chatbot has spent the last week flooding X with nonconsensual, sexualized deepfakes of adults and minors. Circulating screenshots show Grok compl...
is The Verge’s senior AI reporter. An AI beat reporter for more than five years, her work has also appeared in CNBC, MIT Technology Review, Wired UK, and other outlets. Grok began 2026 as it began 2025: under fire for its AI-generated images. Elon Musk’s chatbot has spent the last week flooding X with nonconsensual, sexualized deepfakes of adults and minors. Circulating screenshots show Grok complying with requests to put real women in lingerie and make them spread their legs, and to put small children in bikinis. Reports of images that were later removed describe even more egregious contents. One X user confirmed in a conversation with The Verge that they came across multiple images of minors with what the prompter dubbed “donut glaze” on their faces, which appear to have since been removed. At one point, Grok was generating about one nonconsensual sexualized image per minute, according to one estimate. X’s terms of service prohibit “the sexualization or exploitation of children.” And on Saturday, the company stated the platform would “take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).” It appears to have taken down some of the worst offenses. But overall, it’s downplayed the incidents. Musk has said that “Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content,” but he’s made it clear through public X posts that he doesn’t believe the general undressing prompts are a problem, and he’s responded to the broader topic with laughing and fire emojis on X. The company’s tepid response has alarmed experts who have spent years trying to address AI-powered sexual harassment and abuse. Multiple governments have said they’re scrutinizing X. But even amid an unprecedented push for online regulation, the path toward policing it or its chatbot’s creations isn’t clear. xAI, creator of Grok, did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did Apple or Google when asked if the reports viol...
Key Points Traditional IRAs and 401(k) eventually force savers to take required minimum distributions (RMDs). Those forced withdrawals can create a huge tax bill. You may be able to avoid unwanted taxes if you play your cards right. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › When I first started working full-time and was able to make retirement plan contributions, I was ...
Key Points Traditional IRAs and 401(k) eventually force savers to take required minimum distributions (RMDs). Those forced withdrawals can create a huge tax bill. You may be able to avoid unwanted taxes if you play your cards right. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › When I first started working full-time and was able to make retirement plan contributions, I was admittedly torn between a traditional IRA and a Roth. (My employer didn't offer a 401(k) plan at first.) I liked the idea of saving money on my taxes in the near term, which a traditional IRA allows for. But I also liked the idea of tax-free withdrawals in retirement, which you get with a Roth IRA. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » These days, funding a traditional retirement plan makes sense for me from a tax perspective. But back when I was in a lower tax bracket, I wish I would've taken advantage of a Roth IRA. See, one thing I neglected to consider back then was that Roth retirement accounts don't just give you tax-free withdrawals in retirement. They also don't impose required minimum distributions, or RMDs. For many people, RMDs aren't a problem. If you're forced to withdraw, say, $12,000 a year from your traditional IRA or 401(k) but were already planning to withdraw $1,000 a month to cover living expenses, there's really no issue. RMDs become more of a sore spot when you don't need the money. The reason? Not only do they mean your money stops growing in a tax-advantaged manner, but they can also create a huge tax liability for you. Say you have enough income from Social Security and other sources that there's no need to touch your traditional IRA or 401(k) in retirement. If you're forced to take a $30,000 RMD, you're going to pay taxes on that sum. Thankfully, there are a couple of strategies you can employ to avoid an unwanted RMD ...
is a NYC-based AI reporter and is currently supported by the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism. She covers AI companies, policies, and products. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Universal Music Group is partnering with Nvidia to bring a new AI model to one of the world’s largest music catalogs. Among other initiatives, Tuesday’s announcement to...
is a NYC-based AI reporter and is currently supported by the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism. She covers AI companies, policies, and products. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Universal Music Group is partnering with Nvidia to bring a new AI model to one of the world’s largest music catalogs. Among other initiatives, Tuesday’s announcement touts the extension of Nvidia’s music AI model Music Flamingo, which is designed to mimic how humans understand music by recognizing nuanced elements like song structure, harmony, emotional arcs, and chord progressions. But UMG’s statement stresses that its collaboration with Nvidia pursues “responsible AI” meant to make it easier to discover, engage with, and create music. On that last point, the companies will promote their “shared objectives of advancing human music creation and rightsholder compensation.” The Music Flamingo model, which was published in November 2025 by Nvidia and researchers at University of Maryland, College Park, can process tracks up to 15 minutes long. Details are scarce about exactly how the model will be incorporated into UMG’s catalog, but artists will be able to use Music Flamingo to better analyze their own music, as well as describe and share the music “with unprecedented depth,” according to the statement. Fans, meanwhile, can find music in new ways beyond genre or playlist, such as with emotion or “cultural resonance.” The announcement is similarly vague about how the partnership will work when it comes to AI-driven music creation tools, but promises a “dedicated artist incubator” to help design and test out tools, “serving as a direct antidote to generic, ‘AI slop’ outputs, and placing artists at the center of responsible AI innovation.” What that means in practice remains to be seen. While not UMG’s first partnership with an AI company, Nvidia is perhaps its highest-profile collaboration within the sector. UMG is embracing “the opportunitie...
European and US allies of Ukraine on Tuesday agreed on “robust” security guarantees for Kyiv to come into force after an eventual ceasefire in Russia’s war against the pro-Western country that would see the United States lead a truce monitoring mechanism, French President Emmanuel Macron said. Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky signed a declaration ...
European and US allies of Ukraine on Tuesday agreed on “robust” security guarantees for Kyiv to come into force after an eventual ceasefire in Russia’s war against the pro-Western country that would see the United States lead a truce monitoring mechanism, French President Emmanuel Macron said. Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky signed a declaration of intent that foresees Britain, France and other European allies deploying troops on Ukrainian territory after a ceasefire. Macron said after the meeting in Paris that the moves represented “robust security guarantees for a solid and lasting peace”, hailing an “operational convergence” among allies including the United States. Advertisement The security guarantees are “the key to ensuring that a peace agreement can never mean a Ukrainian surrender and that a peace agreement can never mean a new threat to Ukraine” from Russia, Macron said. “It’s important that today the coalition has substantive documents. These are not just words. There is concrete content: a joint declaration by all the coalition countries and a trilateral declaration by France, Britain and Ukraine,” Zelensky said. (From left) Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer sign the declaration on deploying a post-ceasefire force in Ukraine in Paris on Tuesday. Photo: dpa “It has been defined how those forces will be managed and at what levels command will be exercised,” Zelensky added.
What Happened? Shares of semiconductor packaging and testing company Amkor Technology (NASDAQ:AMKR) jumped 5.2% in the afternoon session after investment firm Needham & Company significantly raised its price target on the stock, pointing to surging demand for artificial intelligence chips. The firm boosted its price target by over 35% to $50 from a previous $37, while it held its "Buy" recommendat...
What Happened? Shares of semiconductor packaging and testing company Amkor Technology (NASDAQ:AMKR) jumped 5.2% in the afternoon session after investment firm Needham & Company significantly raised its price target on the stock, pointing to surging demand for artificial intelligence chips. The firm boosted its price target by over 35% to $50 from a previous $37, while it held its "Buy" recommendation. Analysts at Needham explained that Amkor was well-positioned to become a major player in advanced chip packaging, a critical step in making powerful AI processors. The boom in AI created huge demand for these specialized chips. According to Needham, the main producer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., appeared willing to outsource its extra advanced packaging work to Amkor. This shift was seen as a major opportunity, with one analyst estimating it could lead to as much as $5 billion in new yearly sales for Amkor. Is now the time to buy Amkor? Access our full analysis report here. What Is The Market Telling Us Amkor’s shares are very volatile and have had 29 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business. The previous big move we wrote about was 4 days ago when the stock gained 5.6% on the news that the stock rallied alongside its peers as the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surged. The move came as the broader Philadelphia Semiconductor Index gained 2.93%, lifting many of its component stocks. Amkor was noted as one of the leading performers within the index. This broad-based positive sentiment in the semiconductor space was supported by a market report highlighting strong growth potential in the 'Flip Chip Packaging Services' market, where Amkor is a key player. Adding to the positive backdrop, data from the previous day indicated that short interest in the company had also declined. Amkor is up 18.7% sinc...
"Liam Rosenior is a quality coach who knows the game inside out, and that's what matters most. I want to wish him and his staff all the best. "But as Chelsea's first black player, I would be lying if I said this moment doesn't move me." Those are the words of Paul Canoville, who made his historic debut for the Blues' senior first team as a substitute against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in Apri...
"Liam Rosenior is a quality coach who knows the game inside out, and that's what matters most. I want to wish him and his staff all the best. "But as Chelsea's first black player, I would be lying if I said this moment doesn't move me." Those are the words of Paul Canoville, who made his historic debut for the Blues' senior first team as a substitute against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in April 1982. On Tuesday, Chelsea appointed Strasbourg manager Rosenior, 41, as their new head coach following the departure of Enzo Maresca. Strasbourg are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo multi-club ownership group that also controls Chelsea. There have been just 12 black managers in the Premier League since its inception 34 years ago. "What really strikes me about Liam is he grew up and played not far from here, he knows this community," added Canoville. "When kids see someone like Liam managing their club, someone who looks like them, who's from their ends, who comes from a family that fights for what's right… that's powerful and shows them the path is there. "So yes, it is a massive moment for the club, for London, for every young person dreaming big. "But right now? Let's back Liam, give him what he needs, and let the man do his work."
AI Expansion Highlights Dangers Of America's Aging Power Grid Authored by Autumn Spredemann via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), America’s artificial intelligence (AI) boom is colliding with an older, slower-moving entity: the nation’s aging electrical grid. An architectural rendering of Fermi America’s proposed 5,770-acre data center complex near Amarillo, Texas, illustrates its plans for 18 mill...
AI Expansion Highlights Dangers Of America's Aging Power Grid Authored by Autumn Spredemann via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), America’s artificial intelligence (AI) boom is colliding with an older, slower-moving entity: the nation’s aging electrical grid. An architectural rendering of Fermi America’s proposed 5,770-acre data center complex near Amarillo, Texas, illustrates its plans for 18 million-square-feet of AI data center development fueled by “the largest nuclear power complex in America” supported by “the nation's biggest combined-cycle natural gas project, solar power, and battery storage.” Fermi America From Virginia’s data-center corridor to multi-state electricity markets, analysts, government agencies, and AI insiders say the scramble to handle technology’s expanding power demands will be an uphill battle. At the same time, big tech companies and data centers are working to reduce the impact of AI’s expansion on the United States’ grid infrastructure. Some experts believe changes and significant investment are needed to reduce grid stress and possible energy shortages. A primary driver of this concern is the explosion in data centers being built across the United States to support rapid AI buildout. In 2024, energy consumption reached an all-time high, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency expects 2025 and 2026 consumption to be even higher. Presently, energy demands from data centers account for about 4 percent of electricity use in the United States and 1.5 percent of the world’s electricity use, EIA data show. Although AI’s current computing needs represent just a fraction of total energy consumption, the rate of growth has raised the question of whether the United States’ energy infrastructure can keep up. A significant portion of America’s power grid network dates back to the 1960s and 1970s, according to the Department of Energy. As of 2023, the agency observed that 70 percent of transmission lines were more than 25...
Another day and another double-digit share price for USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) . The stock rose by as much as 11% by 2 p.m. today. There are two reasons behind the move today. Ongoing speculation that events in Venezuela would lead to favorable trading relations with the U.S., and an opportunity for USA Rare Earth to procure rare-earth elements to feed its its Stillwater, Oklahoma magnet produ...
Another day and another double-digit share price for USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) . The stock rose by as much as 11% by 2 p.m. today. There are two reasons behind the move today. Ongoing speculation that events in Venezuela would lead to favorable trading relations with the U.S., and an opportunity for USA Rare Earth to procure rare-earth elements to feed its its Stillwater, Oklahoma magnet producing facility, As discussed previously, Venezuela is rich in rare earth elements , USA Rare Earth needs non-China sourced materials to produce magnets in Stillwater, and generate the earnings and cash flow to support development of the Round Top deposit in Texas starting in 2028. Consequently, if, and it's a big "if", it can do so, then its business model would be significantly derisked. The fact is that the company and its peers, such as MP Materials, trade on speculation surrounding political developments related to China's dominant position in rare-earth materials and magnets. When trade tensions escalate on the matter, investors begin to factor in the possibility of government support and commercial investment by major companies seeking to secure a domestic supply of magnets. Continue reading
Micron Technology's shares climbed 5% on Tuesday, fueled by strong demand for memory and storage from AI applications. Ongoing shortages of high-bandwidth memory increased DRAM and NAND purchases. 1
Micron Technology's shares climbed 5% on Tuesday, fueled by strong demand for memory and storage from AI applications. Ongoing shortages of high-bandwidth memory increased DRAM and NAND purchases. 1
xAI在E轮融资募集200亿美元,原定融资150亿美元。 Valor Equity Partners、Stepstone Group、Fidelity Management & Research Company、卡塔尔投资局(Qatar Investment Authority)、 MGX、以及Baron Capital Group参与了本轮投资。 战略投资者包括英伟达和思科。
xAI在E轮融资募集200亿美元,原定融资150亿美元。 Valor Equity Partners、Stepstone Group、Fidelity Management & Research Company、卡塔尔投资局(Qatar Investment Authority)、 MGX、以及Baron Capital Group参与了本轮投资。 战略投资者包括英伟达和思科。