Today’s tech landscape is dominated by the final day of CES 2026, massive infrastructure deals for AI, and significant shifts in autonomous driving. Here is a summary of the most important tech stories for Friday, January 9, 2026.
1. AI Infrastructure & Energy
- Meta Goes Nuclear: Meta has officially signed major nuclear energy agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, and Oklo. The deals are designed to provide carbon-free power for its "Prometheus" AI supercluster currently under construction in Ohio.
- xAI’s $20B Data Center: Elon Musk’s xAI announced plans to build a massive $20 billion data center in Southaven, Mississippi. Named "MACROHARDRR," the facility aims to house the world’s largest supercomputer with a staggering 2 gigawatts of computing power.
- NVIDIA & Siemens "Industrial AI": The two giants expanded their partnership to launch an Industrial AI Operating System. This shift moves AI from cloud-based chatbots to factory floors, allowing for real-time digital twins and autonomous manufacturing optimization.
2. CES 2026 Highlights (The Wrap-Up)
The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas concludes today with several standout winners:
- Laptops: Lenovo’s Legion Pro Rollable concept stole the show, featuring a display that expands from a 16-inch screen to a 23.8-inch ultrawide at the touch of a button.
- Household Robotics: LG’s CLOiD robot was a top trend, demonstrating the ability to fold laundry, unload dishwashers, and even take croissants out of the oven.
- Portable Screens: Samsung’s Movingstyle M7, a wireless 4K touchscreen on a rolling 17.7-inch base, was hailed as a "Best of CES" winner for flexible home use.
- Future Tech: Other viral gadgets included lollipops that play music through bone conduction in the teeth and pocket-sized "AI Labs" for personal research.
3. Automotive & Autonomy
- Ford’s $30,000 "Eyes-Off" EV: In a major move for the mass market, Ford announced that its next-generation electric vehicle platform (slated for 2028) will feature Level 3 autonomous driving. This will allow drivers to take their eyes off the road during highway commutes in a car priced at just $30,000.
- Kia EV2: Kia unveiled its smallest and most affordable EV yet for the European market, signaling a pivot toward compact, entry-level electric mobility.
4. Big Tech & Regulation
- Meta Acquisition Probe: Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of the Singaporean AI agent startup Manus has reportedly sparked a probe from Beijing due to the startup's ties to Chinese researchers.
- X (Twitter) Restricts Grok: Following a wave of controversy regarding deepfake images, X has reportedly begun restricting its Grok image generation features to high-tier paying subscribers only.
- Apple Anniversary: Today marks the 19th anniversary of Steve Jobs unveiling the first iPhone (January 9, 2007). Rumors are intensifying regarding a "20th Anniversary" redesigned iPhone expected in 2027, possibly featuring the long-awaited "iPhone Fold" technology.
5. Science & Health Tech
- Solid-State Battery Breakthrough: Researchers in South Korea announced a new internal architecture for all-solid-state batteries that uses cheaper materials to increase safety and energy density, potentially solving the cost barrier for next-gen EVs.
- Sleep-Based AI Diagnosis: Stanford researchers revealed an AI system that can predict future disease risks (including heart and neurological issues) using data from just one night of sleep signals.