Motley Fool Money: Big Investing Takeaways From CES 2026

Date: January 7, 2026
Host: Travis Hoyam
Guests: Lou Whiteman and Rachel Warren

Episode Overview

This episode dives into major trends and investing implications coming out of CES 2026. The hosts break down significant announcements in autonomous vehicles, LEGO's technological innovation, and call out some of the more dubious or "dud" products making headlines. The conversation explores how these developments could impact investors and the broader business world, with the trademark Motley Fool blend of insight, skepticism, and humor.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Uber–Lucid–Neuro Autonomous Vehicle Alliance

[00:50–07:01]

• Announcement:
  Uber and Lucid, leveraging Neuro’s autonomous tech and Nvidia’s computing stack, announced plans for a luxury, long-range autonomous vehicle—targeting launch in 2026.
• Model Description:
  • Lucid provides the hardware (Gravity SUV, up to 450-mile range, 6 seats, luxury focus)
  • Neuro supplies Level 4 self-driving software and sensors
  • Nvidia's Drive AGX Thor supercomputer runs the computing stack
  • Uber delivers the user interface and access via its app, leveraging its distribution power
• Deployment Plans:
  Commercial service begins late 2026 in the Bay Area, with 20,000+ vehicles eyed for deployment over six years globally.

Panel Insights

• Lou Whiteman:

  • Sees alliances like this as a potential blueprint for the future but is skeptical about cost efficiency and scalability due to Lucid's luxury price point.
  • “Lucid is an expensive automobile…what they're bringing to the table is what, an $80,000 plus fee?” (01:53)

• Rachel Warren:

  • Sees merit in the horizontal partnership model, dividing expertise instead of vertical integration (cf. Tesla, Waymo).
  • Praises the strength each partner brings: “It really divides the expertise of these industry leaders.” (02:54)
  • Excited for consumer impact and market expansion, calling it “a really interesting and exciting new entrant into the space.” (04:22)

• Travis Hoyam:

  • Notes shift away from vertical integration, suggesting traditional OEMs (GM, Ford, VW) could replicate this model with better scale & cost.
  • “If this works it could be almost replicated with every single OEM. Is that the right way to think about it?” (05:30)

• Lou’s Investor Take:

  • Emphasizes risk but expects competition: “Partner with someone…You don’t have to be vertically integrated.” (06:06)
  • Reliability will be key; consumers just need “minimum standard” safety, not perfect tech.

2. LEGO's "Smart Bricks" – Tech Evolves a Classic Toy

[08:15–11:48]

• Announcement:
  LEGO launches "smart blocks"—Bluetooth-enabled bricks with sensors, lights, speakers, and digital-twin capability. Disney (Star Wars) is a key launch partner.
• Tech Details:
  • Uses “Bricknet,” a proprietary Bluetooth protocol with millimeter accuracy.
  • Enables interactive, screen-free play experiences (e.g., lightsaber duels with sound effects for Star Wars sets).

Panel Insights

• Rachel Warren:

  • Thinks the upgrade is “exciting”, especially for kids and parents seeking “screen-free” interactive play.
  • “It creates a digital twin of that physical play in real time.” (09:23)
  • “The idea here is that the smart brick is going to add a dynamic kind of interactive layer to traditional screen-free LEGO play.” (10:03)

• Lou Whiteman:

  • Skeptical this will be “the most significant evolution since their 1978 minifigure.”
  • Predicts adult Collector sets (high-priced) are more likely to drive revenue than smart tech.
  • “This kind of feels like just because you can.” (11:09)

• Travis Hoyam:

  • References personal experience: hard to excite his own kids with LEGO; wonders about long-term product viability.

3. Not-So-Exciting at CES: "Duds" and Misguided Innovations

[13:17–18:11]

• Panel Names the Flops:
  • Lenovo Smart Glasses Prototype:
    No compelling edge over Meta's imperfect attempts, with Rachel noting, “It didn’t really offer…any really compelling use cases.” (13:56)
  • Lepro Ami AI Soulmate:
    Holographic female “soulmate” in a screen—dubbed invasive and misguided.
    Rachel: “Just an example of putting AI into products that don’t need it.” (14:26)
  • Peak S Electric Skis:
    Motorized rollerblades meant to simulate skiing—reportedly awkward and unnecessary.
  • LG Cloudroid Home Robot:
    Lou finds it particularly creepy: “That was maybe the creepiest.” (16:47) The design is ridiculed as “an engineering compromise.” (16:53)

Broader Observations:

• General Trend:
  Many companies are “slapping AI” onto pre-existing concepts for the buzz, but not solving real problems. (Lou: “There’s a fine line between innovation and dystopia. And that line runs through the marketing department.” (16:13))
• Business Model Skepticism:
  Travis wonders if we’re in a “1990s internet moment” with a proliferation of startups building unwarranted products that may not last.
• Apple Context:
  Lou offers investor perspective: “Maybe we’re being too hard on Apple for not coming up with the next big thing…because I don’t see anyone else knocking it out of the park.” (17:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Uber–Lucid–Neuro Alliance:

  • “Lucid is an expensive automobile…what they're bringing to the table is what, an $80,000 plus fee?” (01:53, Lou Whiteman)
  • “It really divides the expertise of these industry leaders.” (02:54, Rachel Warren)
  • “If this works it could be almost replicated with every single OEM.” (05:30, Travis Hoyam)
  • “We want a minimum standard. I want to know I won't crash but…I don't know if that’s money well spent for these trying to go it alone.” (06:10, Lou Whiteman)

• On LEGO's Tech Leap:

  • “This new product uses Bricknet…to allow the LEGO bricks to communicate locally with insane millimeter accuracy.” (09:07, Rachel Warren)
  • “This kind of feels like just because you can.” (11:09, Lou Whiteman)

• On CES “Duds” and AI Overreach:

  • “Just an example of putting AI into products that don’t need it.” (14:26, Rachel Warren)
  • “There’s a fine line between innovation and dystopia. And that line runs through the marketing department.” (16:13, Lou Whiteman)
  • “Maybe we’re being too hard on Apple for not coming up with the next big thing.” (17:45, Lou Whiteman)

Key Timestamps for Segments

• [00:50] Uber/Lucid/Neuro AV model debated
• [04:57] Shift away from vertical integration in autonomy
• [08:15] LEGO launches “smart bricks,” panel weighs in
• [13:17] Panel dives into the CES “duds” of the year
• [17:45] Discussion on Apple and the difficulty of genuine technological breakthroughs

Overall Tone and Takeaways

• Skeptical Optimism: Enthusiasm for true innovation (autonomous partnerships, meaningful digitization of toys), but healthy skepticism toward hype-driven concepts and “solution in search of a problem” gadgets.
• Investor Focus: The longer-term business implications, scale, and sustainability are crucial for investments, not just flashiness at CES.
• Humorous but Insightful: Panelists remain playful—especially calling out the more ridiculous CES unveils—while also offering serious context for investors.

Summary useful for: Listeners seeking investing takeaways and critical perspectives on CES 2026's most noteworthy (and notorious) business and tech reveals, geared for both individual investors and broader business enthusiasts.