CES 2025, overshadowed by the Los Angeles fires, unfolded as a testament to the nascent stages of technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence and extended reality (XR). While the show buzzed with the promise of AI revolutionizing every facet of our lives, the tangible demonstrations remained elusive, leaving a sense of anticipation rather than concrete realization. The pervasive theme was “AI everywhere and nowhere,” highlighting the paradoxical nature of a technology omnipresent in discussions yet lacking substantial real-world applications readily available for consumer consumption.
The grand pronouncements of AI’s transformative power echoed from numerous booths, yet the actual exhibits often relied on pre-existing devices rebranded with the “AI-enabled” label. Bandwidth constraints within the convention center further hampered attempts to showcase the full potential of AI in real-time, contributing to the disconnect between the hype and the demonstrable reality. This contrast underscored the early stages of consumer AI development, where marketing narratives often outpaced the practical implementation of the technology.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote address stood out as a highlight, offering a captivating vision of AI’s potential across various industries. Huang positioned Nvidia not merely as a chip manufacturer but as a driving force behind the AI revolution. His presentation emphasized the transformative capabilities of Nvidia’s AI-powered robotics platform, particularly in sectors like logistics and manufacturing. However, the exhibition floor offered a more tempered perspective, presenting predominantly consumer-focused AI robots like automated vacuums, lawnmowers, and security bots, along with AI-powered toys. These applications, while practical, lacked the revolutionary impact implied in Huang’s sweeping vision.
The vast exhibition space was dominated by major consumer electronics giants like Sony, TCL, LG, and Panasonic, showcasing a diverse array of products ranging from smartphones to multi-screen laptops. Sony and Honda’s collaborative automotive venture, AFEELA, offered a glimpse into the future of transportation, albeit at a premium price point. LG’s display of transparent TVs and Samsung’s “AI for All” theme highlighted the companies’ commitment to integrating AI into their product lines. However, the overall impression was one of incremental advancements rather than paradigm-shifting innovations.
The XR sector at CES 2025 presented a more subdued atmosphere. The absence of major players and the prevalence of Meta’s AI-enabled Ray-Bans outside the main XR exhibition area reflected a quieter year for the technology. Xreal garnered significant attention with its sleek glasses and 3 DOF screen extenders, while Rokid maintained a solid presence. However, truly groundbreaking innovations in XR were scarce. Sony’s launch of the XYN VR headset, targeting spatial content creation, offered a glimpse into the future of virtual reality, but its high price point raised questions about its accessibility to a broader consumer base.
The proliferation of smart glasses mimicking Meta’s Ray-Bans, with ChatGPT integration as the primary differentiator, underscored the challenges faced by smaller players in the XR market. These imitations, while offering similar functionalities, struggled to match the quality, comfort, and user experience of Meta’s offering. Halliday’s introduction of smart glasses with a monochromatic monocular microdisplay highlighted the ongoing search for a compelling use case for AR glasses beyond simple notifications and map displays. The vision of AR seamlessly overlaying information onto the real world remained elusive, both technologically and in terms of widespread consumer adoption. Xreal and Rokid’s focus on screen-extender functionality acknowledged this challenge, offering a more pragmatic approach to AR applications. However, the question of whether consumers genuinely desire this functionality, given the prevalence of high-resolution mobile devices, remained unanswered.
The presence of companies focusing on assistive technologies for the visually impaired offered a hopeful glimpse into the potential of XR and AI to enhance accessibility. Ocutrx showcased devices addressing age-related macular degeneration, and Conel Amariei presented the Lumen headset, utilizing lidar sensors to guide the blind. These innovations demonstrated the power of technology to address real-world challenges and improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. Overall, CES 2025 served as a snapshot of a technological landscape in transition. While AI and XR hold immense promise, their path towards widespread consumer adoption remains under construction. The show highlighted the gap between the aspirational vision of these technologies and their current state of development. The coming year will be crucial in determining whether these technologies can fulfill their transformative potential or remain largely confined to the realm of theoretical possibilities. The answers, as of CES 2025, remained unclear, leaving the future of AI and XR open to both anticipation and uncertainty.
