TechCheck Google’s Boston Dynamics partnership, and Tesla’s AV, Robotics challengers 1/6/26
Jan 6, 2026
Deirdre Bosa, a business and technology reporter, dives into the electrifying partnership between Google’s DeepMind and Boston Dynamics, unveiled at CES. She discusses how physical AI is evolving, illustrated by Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot. Deirdre contrasts U.S. strengths in AI with China's manufacturing prowess, highlights NVIDIA's ambition in robotics training, and examines the impact on Tesla’s autonomy valuation. The conversation wraps up with a debate on the future landscape of autonomous mobility and the competition brewing in the field.
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AI Is Becoming Physical
- Robotics at CES show AI moving into physical form, with software enabling skill transfer between machines.
- Deirdre Bosa highlights that intelligence and software upgrades may decide the 2026 robotics race.
Atlas Demo Was Tele‑Operated
- Boston Dynamics demoed an Atlas humanoid tele-operated on stage at CES to illustrate future directions.
- Deirdre Bosa emphasizes the demo showed form factor and potential, even if not fully autonomous yet.
The Intelligence Layer Beats Hardware
- Control over how robots are trained and upgraded matters more than hardware alone.
- Deirdre Bosa notes NVIDIA and others are pursuing the intelligence layer as the strategic competitive frontier.