Walking through the sprawling halls of The Consumer Electronics Show 2025 in Las Vegas, most attendees would have noticed how the “AI-enabled” label has become as ubiquitous as USB ports were a decade ago. From AI-powered toothbrushes that promised to analyze your brushing patterns, to compassionate humanoids, there was so much to imbibe. However, some products looked to a fair degree ostentatious and would have left you scratching your head wondering how they would ever see the light of day. Well, that is CES for you!
Did you miss CES 2025 because it was so close to the holiday season? No need to worry, as we have curated the best gadgets. Read on to learn more.
The AI avalanche
Amid the sea of questionable AI implementations, several innovations stood out as genuine leaps forward. Qualcomm’s new Neural Processing Unit (NPU) demonstrated real-time language translation without cloud connectivity – a feat that would have seemed impossible just two years ago. The chip, smaller than a thumbnail, can process complex language models locally, opening possibilities for truly private AI applications.
Intel’s response was equally impressive. Their new Meteor Lake successor showcased unprecedented energy efficiency while running large language models. Meteor Lake powered through complex video editing tasks using only voice commands, all while consuming less power than a standard laptop CPU from 2023.
Beyond silicon: AI gets physical
The real surprises came from the robotics section. Boston Dynamics’ latest creation, a household assistant robot, demonstrated contextual understanding that felt eerily natural. Unlike previous iterations that seemed more like tech demos, this one could navigate cluttered spaces while carrying on meaningful conversations about its surroundings. When it accidentally bumped into a chair, it apologized to the furniture – a small touch that somehow made it feel more relatable than creepy.
Samsung’s AI home hub deserves special mention. Unlike the fragmented smart home solutions, their new system acts as a genuine household manager. It learns your routines without explicitly being programmed, adjusts energy usage based on real-time electricity prices, and even predicts maintenance needs before they become problems.
The rise of digital companions
In what might be the most significant shift in human-machine interaction, Realbotix’s Aria demonstrated how far humanoid robotics has evolved from the awkward, jerky movements of yesteryear. The robot’s fluid gestures and contextual awareness mark a departure from the uncanny valley that plagued earlier attempts. Meanwhile, Mirumi’s animal robots offer a more focused approach to artificial companionship, proving that sometimes less is more when it comes to emotional connection with machines.
The automotive sector did not miss this trend. The new AI-powered voice assistants from Hyundai Mobis were less like glorified Bluetooth speakers and more like competent co-pilots. Their holographic dashboard technology, projecting crucial information onto the windshield, finally delivers on the promise of augmented reality that sci-fi has teased for decades.
The quiet revolution in displays
While everyone obsessed over AI, a revolution in display technology nearly went unnoticed. LG’s transparent OLED TV is not just another concept piece – it is a production-ready device that transforms into a regular window when turned off. But the real magic happens when it is on. The AI image processing adjusts content based on the ambient light and what is visible through the display, creating an augmented reality experience without the need for special glasses.
Apple’s absence from CES was felt, but their influence was evident in the number of spatial computing devices on display. Lenovo’s AR glasses, in particular, showed how far the technology has come. Unlike Vision Pro’s comprehensive but bulky approach, these lightweight glasses leverage cloud AI to offload heavy processing while maintaining low latency. The result is a device that is both practical and powerful.
The return of privacy
Perhaps the most welcome trend at CES 2025 was the emphasis on privacy. After years of data-hungry devices, manufacturers are finally embracing local processing. Google’s new smart home sensors process all data on-device, never sending raw footage to the cloud. Even Amazon, traditionally cloud-centric, showcased Alexa variants that run entirely on local hardware.
The AI Bubble About to Burst?
After assessing many of the products at CES, I strongly believe that not everything with an AI label deserved one. The show floor was littered with products that simply slapped machine learning onto existing features without adding real value. The AI-powered coffee maker that “learns your perfect brew” seemed particularly redundant – as if humans have not managed to remember how they like their coffee.
The future is not just smart – It is thoughtful
What is becoming clear is that the future of consumer technology is not just about making everything “smart.” The standout products at CES 2025 were those that used AI thoughtfully to solve real problems. Perhaps the biggest trend worth watching is the shift from artificial intelligence to artificial wisdom. Now that is an upgrade worth coming back to CES to witness.