From smart toilet seats to Samsung's Pixar-like robot, here's what I'm still thinking about after a week at CES

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Happy Friday! I'm back in New York after a hectic week at CES, which might have been made easier with this portable AI assistant unveiled at the conference.

Speaking of CES, that's the focus of today's story. I'm giving a rundown of everything that stood out to me during the massive tech conference.

What's on deck:

• Markets: Millennials and Gen Zers are starting to invest like boomers.

• Tech: LinkedIn employees say the company's culture has shifted dramatically in the last year.

• Business: Hertz's electric-vehicle ambitions are fizzling as it sells off one-third of its EV inventory.

But first, I gotta tell you about this one thing.

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The big story

CES today, here tomorrow

What. A. Week.

My first trip to CES also marked my first time in Las Vegas. Staying on the Strip for four nights felt like living in a city designed by a teenage boy who drank too much Mountain Dew.

And I expected a bit of that same energy at CES. I'd heard a good chunk of the gadgets you see at exhibits are meant to be far-out concepts and don't have a shot of ultimately making it to consumers.

There was a healthy dose of that, but this year's conference definitely had more products ready to ship than in years past.

Here's some of the stuff that stood out to me the most:

Samsung's Pixar-like robot. Ballie — a small, round robot that rolls around your house to do a myriad of tasks — was first announced back in 2020. But now the robot is almost ready for primetime, as Samsung plans to sell it this year, according to The Washington Post.

Mercedes steps up entertainment. Automobiles are a big piece of CES, from autonomous vehicles to futuristic models that wouldn't be out of place in the next Tron movie. But the German automaker touted a big upgrade to its entertainment system, including being able to remix songs based on how you drive thanks to a partnership with rapper and producer will.i.am.

John Deere goes digital. The agricultural giant had a massive exhibit touting high-end tractors and data-intensive analytics, which are becoming much more common in the space. But what surprised me the most was John Deere's iconic green hat being the swag item of the conference, drawing a long line to snag one.

Toilet tech. I'm a sucker for good branding, so I was drawn to Bemis' display of bidets and toilet seats under the signage "Best seat in the house." The products didn't disappoint — no, I didn't personally test them — including one that helps the elderly use the restroom without needing the help of a caregiver. Beyond helping older people maintain a sense of privacy, there's also an element of long-term cost savings as elderly care can be extremely pricey.

The US government! When you think of tech innovation, the US government probably isn't top of mind. But Uncle Sam had a large exhibit touting the ways it can work with startups. One example was Homeland Security's Silicon Valley Innovation Program, which will offer as much as $2 million in non-dilutive funding. These days, they're looking for startups that can generate synthetic data.

AI handwritten notes. "Handwritten" notes done by a robot are exactly the type of thing you expect to see at CES. Handwrytten's machine was legit, producing notes that genuinely looked to be done by a human hand. And while I realize having a robot write what's meant to be a personalized note might seem contradictory, there's a real use case for big organizations like nonprofits that want to thank donors in a more meaningful way than an email.

3 things in markets

1. Millennials and Gen Zers are starting to invest more like boomers. In 2023, younger investors became less willing to support environmental, social, and governance, or ESG, initiatives if it meant lower investment gains.

2. Here are all the spot bitcoin ETFs and the fees they charge. Following the SEC's approval on Wednesday, 11 spot bitcoin ETFs have officially begun trading. We broke down each of the ETFs that are available to trade and the fees they're charging investors. But if you're a Vanguard customer, don't bother — the firm said crypto isn't part of a "well balanced" portfolio and won't let clients buy ETFs.

3. Inflation is ticking back up. New data shows December's consumer price index climbed 3.4% year over year. So while inflation cooled for much of 2023, it increased and was still above the Fed's 2% target as the year closed.

3 things in tech

1. Silicon Valley engineers used to joke that you go to LinkedIn to retire. Then the PIPs and layoffs came. Current and former employees told Business Insider about the company's culture shift over the past year. Senior leaders want the company to be "scrappy" in the age of AI.

2. It's not just you — the TikTok Shop will show you literally anything. It appears to heavily promote videos and livestreams that use Shop — even when what's on sale is junk. It's great for sellers but sucks for viewers.

3. Even more tech layoffs have hit the industry. Google just laid off hundreds of staff, including those who worked on its voice-activated assistant. Read the email here. Meanwhile, Amazon is cutting even more jobs, including in its Audible division. A leaked recording reveals that months before, Amazon Prime Video's boss warned employees they hired too fast.

3 things in business

1. Hertz is selling 20,000 EVs — in part because they're too expensive to repair. That accounts for around one-third of its electric fleet. After the announcement, shares for Tesla and Hertz tumbled. One reporter who rented a Tesla from Hertz said they weren't surprised by the move due to the rental-process headaches.

2. Aaron Rodgers' ESPN ban lasted a full day. On Wednesday, we heard he wasn't going to be on ESPN for the rest of the NFL season. But on Thursday, he was already back on Pat McAfee's show.

3. eBay must pay a $3 million fine after its employees waged a harassment campaign. Employees sent live spiders, cockroaches, and a bloody pig mask to a Massachusetts couple, according to court documents.

In other news

• US launches strikes on the Houthis from air and sea after warning there would be a price to pay for their constant attacks

• Nearly half of Russia's imported battlefield tech has been coming from US and EU companies: joint report.

• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman just got married.

• Why the Boeing 737 Max seems to have so many issues.

• Your tax dollars are getting spent on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, and the total is adding up.

• Bill Belichick reportedly agrees to part ways with the New England Patriots.

• I was put on PIP and then fired from my tech job. Looking back, I deserved it.

• Walmart Spark shoppers can remove their tips up to 24 hours after delivery. Drivers say that contributes to a problem of "tip baiting."

What's happening today

• NASA is expected to unveil a new, quiet supersonic aircraft. The X-59 is part of the space agency's effort to make commercial supersonic flight a reality.

• Happy birthday, Issa Rae! Jeff Bezos, Zayn Malik, Howard Stern, Kirstie Alley, Naya Rivera, and Rush Limbaugh were also born on this day.

• Earnings today: Delta Air Lines, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and other companies.

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