The most interesting tech we saw on day one of CES

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sure, Nvidia, AMD and Intel all had important chip and AI platform announcements on the first day of CES 2026, but all audiences wanted to see more of was Star Wars and Jensen Huang's little robot buddies.

CES is a huge opportunity annually for companies both large and small to parade products they plan to put on shelves this year. And, as predicted, artificial intelligence was anchored in nearly everything as tech firms continue to look for AI products that will attract customers.

AP has been on the ground looking at booths and covering big announcements, here is a roundup of the highlights we saw on the first day of CES.

The biggest buzzword in the air at CES is “physical AI,” Nvidia’s term for AI models that are trained in a virtual environment using computer generated, “synthetic” data, then deployed as physical machines once they’ve mastered their purpose.

CEO Jensen Huang showed off Cosmos, an AI foundation model trained on massive datasets, capable of simulating environments governed by actual physics. He also announced Alpamayo, an AI model specifically designed for autonomous driving. Huang revealed that Nvidia's next generation AI superchip platform, dubbed Vera Rubin, is in full production, and that Nvidia has a new partnership with Siemens. All of this shows Nvidia is going to fight increased competition to retain its reputation as the backbone of the AI industry.

But once Huang called for two little, waddling, chirping robots to join him on stage, that's all the audience wanted to see more of.

AMD CEO Lisa Su announced a new line of its famed Ryzen AI processors as the company continues to expand its footprint in the world of AI-powered personal computers.

For gamers, AMD also showed off the latest version of its gaming-focused processor, the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D.

Meanwhile, Intel announced its new AI chip for laptops, Panther Lake (also known as the Intel Core Ultra Series 3), and said the company has plans to launch a new platform to address a growing market for handheld video gaming machines.

Intel, a Silicon Valley pioneer that enjoyed decades of growth as its processors powered the personal computer boom, fell into a slump after missing the shift to the mobile computing era unleashed by the iPhone. It fell further behind after the AI boom propelled Nvidia into the spotlight.

President Donald Trump’s administration stepped in recently to secure a 10% stake in the company, making the government one of Intel’s biggest shareholders. Federal officials said they invested in Intel to support U.S. technology and domestic manufacturing.

Uber is giving the public a first look at their robotaxi at this CES this week. Uber, along with luxury electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Motors and vehicle tech company Nuro, introduced an autonomous vehicle with an Uber-designed in-cabin experience.

Uber calls it the most luxurious robotaxi yet. It features cameras, sensors and radars that provide 360-degree perception and a low-profile roof “halo” with integrated LEDs that will display riders’ initials to help them spot their car and track their ride status. Inside, riders can personalize everything from climate and seat heating to music, while real-time visuals show exactly what the vehicle is seeing on the road and the route it plans to take.

Autonomous on-road testing began last month in San Francisco, led by Nuro, marking a major step toward what the companies said is a planned launch before the end of the year.

When Lucasfilm chief creative officer David Filoni brought out an array of X-Wing pilots, Chewbacca, R2D2 and C-3PO, he won the Star Wars fandom for Lego.

Lego announced its Lego Smart Play platform on Monday, which introduces new smart bricks, tags and special minifigs for your collection. The new bricks contain sensors that enable them to sense light and distance, and to provide an array of responses, essentially lights and sounds, when they are used in unison.

Combine this with a newly announced partnership with the Star Wars franchise and now you can create your own interactive space battles and light-saber duels.

File this one under intrigued, for now.

The Korean tech giant gave the media a glimpse Monday of its humanoid robot that is designed to handle household chores such as folding laundry and fetching food. Although many companies have robots on display at CES, LG certainly is one of the biggest tech companies to promise to put a service robot in homes.

It will be on display — and we assume demonstrating some of its purported abilities — beginning Tuesday, so we'll have more to report soon.

Music you can taste was on display Monday at CES: Lollipop Star unveiled a candy that plays music while you eat it. The company says it uses something called “bone induction technology,” which lets you hear songs — like tracks from Ice Spice and Akon — through the lollipop as you lick it or bite it in the back of your mouth, according to spokesperson Cassie Lawrence.

The musical lollipops will go on sale after CES on Lollipop Star’s website for $8.99 each. And if that wasn’t enough star power, Akon was expected to visit the company’s booth Tuesday when CES opens to the public.

Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics publicly demonstrated its humanoid robot Atlas for the first time at the CES tech showcase, ratcheting up a competition with Tesla and other rivals to build robots that look like people and do things that people do.

The company said a version of the robot that will help assemble cars is already in production and will be deployed by 2028 at Hyundai’s electric vehicle manufacturing facility near Savannah, Georgia.

Delta Air Lines is taking entertainment to new heights as the “official airline” of the Sphere in Las Vegas. The airline announced a new multiyear partnership with Sphere Entertainment Co. that it says will deliver premium experiences to the venue, including a Delta SKY360° Club lounge.

The carrier said SkyMiles members can unlock exclusive access to other experiences at the Sphere, starting during the final weekend of the Backstreet Boys’ residency in February with features including private suite seating, food and beverages. The partnership brings Delta branding to the Sphere’s massive exterior LED screen. Delta says more exclusive SkyMiles experiences will roll out in 2026 and beyond.

CLOiD, an LG Electronics home robot, interacts with the audience during an LG Electronics news conference ahead of the CES tech show Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Asad Ayaz, left, and Dave Filioni stand on stage during an LEGO news conference ahead of the CES tech show Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

An Atlas robot stands on the stage during a Hyundai and Boston Dynamics news conference ahead of the CES tech show, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

A LEGO smart brick is held during a LEGO news conference ahead of the CES tech show Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang kneels in front of a robot during a Nvidia news conference ahead of the CES tech show Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

LEGO chief product and marketing officer and executive vice president Julia Goldin talks as a a Chewbacca stands behind her during an LEGO news conference ahead of the CES tech show Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are divided along party lines on U.S. military action against Iran, according to polls conducted since the war began, with most polls showing opposition is higher than support.

Polls suggest that many Americans are worried the military action is making the U.S. “less safe,” even as they see Iran as a threat to U.S. security. There are also warning signs for President Donald Trump as he confronts the possibility of a prolonged conflict that could come with significant economic turmoil. Trump gave conflicting messages on Monday about the war’s timeline, suggesting it could be near its end while also threatening additional force against Iran if the country disrupted the global flow of oil.

Fluctuating oil prices may already be alarming voters. Polls conducted over the weekend found a large majority of Americans are worried about the war causing oil and gasoline prices to rise. The vast majority expect the U.S. action against Iran will last at least “months,” if not longer.

Republicans are largely behind the president, a Republican, the polls show, but there are indications that they are wary of any response that would lead to U.S. troops on the ground in Iran. And after Trump campaigned on the pledge of putting “America first” and ending U.S. involvement in “forever wars,” the Iran conflict could become a particular point of friction.

About half of registered voters — 53% — oppose U.S. military action against Iran, according to a new Quinnipiac Poll conducted over the weekend. Only 4 in 10 support it, and about 1 in 10 are uncertain. A new Ipsos poll also found more disapprove than approve of the strikes.

That's similar to the results of text message snap polls from The Washington Post and CNN, both conducted shortly after the joint U.S.-Israel attacks began, which also indicated that more Americans rejected the military action than embraced it.

A recent Fox News poll found opinions more evenly divided: Half of registered voters approved of the U.S. military action, while half disapproved.

Several of the recent polls show a majority of Americans believe the Trump administration has not provided a clear explanation of the reasons behind the military strikes, and there are some divisions about whether Iran truly posed an “imminent and direct threat” to the United States, as the White House has said.

Most voters in the Quinnipiac poll — 55% — said they did not believe Iran posed an “imminent military threat” to the U.S. before the current military action. On the other hand, about 6 in 10 registered voters in the Fox News poll said Iran poses a “real national security threat,” and a recent AP-NORC poll found about half of U.S. adults were highly concerned that Iran’s nuclear program posed a direct threat to the U.S.

As oil prices oscillate, the vast majority of voters are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about oil and gasoline prices rising in the U.S., according to the Quinnipiac poll. Only about one-quarter of voters are “not so concerned” or “not concerned at all.”

The highest levels of concern are driven by Democrats and independents, but about half of Republicans are also at least somewhat concerned about the war increasing gas prices.

About two-thirds of Americans expect U.S. gas prices will “get worse” over the next year as a result of the U.S. military action, according to the Ipsos poll conducted March 6-9. Republicans were more likely to say gas prices would worsen than improve as a result of the war: 44% said they would get worse, while 26% expected they would improve. About 2 in 10 thought they would remain the same. Democrats and independents overwhelmingly expect gas prices will worsen.

On Monday, Trump said the U.S. would take further action against Iran if they made any attempt to stop the global oil supply.

As the Iran war spreads into the Middle East, many Americans also worry Trump's military decisions have made the U.S. less safe.

About half of voters in both the Quinnipiac and Fox News polls said the U.S. military action in Iran makes the U.S. “less safe,” while only about 3 in 10 in each poll said it made the country safer. The CNN poll found about half of U.S. adults thought the strikes would make Iran “more of a threat” to the U.S., while only about 3 in 10 thought it would lessen the danger.

About 6 in 10 U.S. adults said they trusted Trump “not much” or “not at all” to make the right decisions about the U.S. use of force in Iran, according to the CNN poll. Republicans expressed more trust in the president than Democrats or independents.

An AP-NORC poll conducted before the strikes similarly found that 56% of U.S. adults trusted Trump “only a little” or “not at all” to make the right decisions about the use of military force abroad.

Most voters are concerned about a possible expansion in the war’s scope.

About three-quarters of voters oppose the idea of sending ground troops into Iran, according to the Quinnipiac poll that was conducted after the deaths of six U.S. service members were announced. The death of a seventh service member was reported later..

The Trump administration has acknowledged the likelihood of American casualties, and has not ruled out sending American soldiers to Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that it was “foolishness” to expect U.S. officials to say publicly “here’s exactly how far we’ll go.”

Only about 2 in 10 in the Quinnipiac poll supported sending troops to Iran. Even among Republican voters, the poll found more oppose than support sending ground troops, 52% to 37%.

The new Ipsos poll found bipartisan concern that the U.S. military action would risk the lives of American military personnel. About 9 in 10 U.S. adults are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about this, including 86% or Republicans and 93% of Democrats.

Protesters wave Iranian flags and hold a portrait of the late Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to support his selection as the new Iran's Supreme Leader in Baghdad, Monday, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference, Monday, March 9, 2026, at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)