CES 2025 Recap: What Happens in Vegas Doesn't Stay in Vegas
Reflections on the annual megaconference of innovators and technologists
CES takes Vegas for Tech Expo
The Las Vegas Convention Center floor was flooded with exhibitors, investors, and enthusiastic technologists for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 6th-9th. Over 4,000 booths and 140,000 people clamored to see the now, new, and next of tech innovations. From solo entrepreneurs to multi-trillion-dollar giants, from hardware to software, from bland but effective products to flashy gizmos and gadgets without a clear product market fit, CES had it all. Our NExT Team was on the ground, speaking with exhibitors, receiving private demos, and tuning into keynotes from executives of the world’s largest brands.
While CES is an impressive collection of the sector and does paint a helpful picture of the landscape, it’s also just one week in what will prove to be a dynamic year. The intersection of hardware and software was a repeated theme, and in that collision, three focal areas emerged as most interesting to follow into the rest of 2025.
Giving AI a Body
The physical manifestation of AI took center stage at CES 2025, as robotics companies explored ways to give AI a more tangible presence in our world. While humanoid robots continued to draw crowds, we noticed that real transformation is happening across a spectrum of specialized, practical forms. In conversations with an AgTech robotics company, we saw firsthand how the field is moving away from human-like forms toward specialized, task-specific implementations. Their multifunctional agricultural robot, capable of managing entire fruit cultivation processes, exemplifies a broader trend in robotics: the emergence of "Hybrid Intelligence."
In these systems, robots begin by learning from human experts but gradually develop their own approaches, like apprentices mastering fundamentals before developing unique techniques. We're seeing this advancement not just in impressive demos, but in practical applications integrating into everyday devices, from stair-climbing robot vacuums to intelligent kitchen appliances that can sense and respond to user preferences. As author Joanna Maciejewska envisioned, "I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes."
This maturation of robotics technology suggests we're entering an era where the most impactful innovations won't be those capturing headlines, but those driving real utility in our daily lives. This year, look for robotics companies to focus on specific applications over mere humanoid resemblance.
Can XR catch the vision?
For yet another year, spatial computing was found all over the showroom floor at CES. Dozens of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR) companies displayed their products, including glasses, goggles, headsets, and holograms. And while the quantity of products was impressive, the jury is still out for market adoption and staying power.
In VR, entertainment continues to be the leading use case, with a specific focus on gaming. The value prop of providing a more immersive experience for game players can land VR headsets among the most important components of the gaming industry, with some games specifically designed for such experiences. That being said, most CES attendees we spoke with confessed they didn’t see much personal utility in these products just yet.
On the other hand, there was a sharp uptick in AR products. One product with a clear business vision provided real-time subtitles for your conversations. Even if this doesn’t find purchase among the majority of the population, such a product could clearly be transformational for people with hearing challenges.
Lastly, we saw some early-stage holograms. Think: digital avatars dancing on the table in front of you. This felt straight out of a science fiction movie, but we were informed this technology, too, was a bit further out from personal use. Though many have declared spatial computing as the next great interface, the question still remains after the momentum of CES 2025: will XR land, or is this a shiny hammer looking for a nail?
Driverless hits the gas
The automotive industry claimed a prominent spot on the CES 2025 show floor – a natural evolution given that modern vehicles have essentially become rolling supercomputers. The autonomous vehicle landscape painted a picture far beyond the traditional self-driving car narrative. While major autonomous vehicle companies continue to expand their driverless fleet across urban landscapes, the real story lies in how autonomy is reshaping vehicle design itself.
For instance, one company took a radical approach and eliminated the constraints of human operation altogether—no driver's seat, no side mirrors—to completely reimagine what a vehicle can be. This design liberation extends far beyond just cars. In the agricultural sector, autonomous tractors on display were poised to transform farming efficiency, opening up new possibilities for both form and function.
It's fascinating to see the birth of entirely new vehicle categories optimized for their specific tasks, rather than for human operation. Indeed, human-centered-design may shift to robot-centered-design in the years to come. This involves fundamentally rethinking how vehicles serve their core purposes, potentially unlocking new efficiencies and capabilities we hadn't considered before. Sure, some may need time and a few test rides to acclimate to the driverless experience, but this wave seems to be coming nevertheless.
What happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas
What happens in Vegas during CES doesn't just stay in Vegas – it reverberates through global markets and industry trajectories. The pronouncements made by tech executives carry weight, capable of shifting stock prices and redirecting innovation pipelines with a single keynote speech. From robotics breakthroughs to autonomous vehicle revelations, each announcement at CES 2025 serves as more than just a product showcase—it's a market-moving moment that shapes how technology spreads across the global economy. As the line between technology showcase and market catalyst continues to blur, one thing becomes clear: CES isn't just predicting the future. It's actively shaping the world we'll all inhabit tomorrow.
- Danny Greene, NExT Futurist, Deloitte Consulting LLP
- Mark Osis, NExT Futurist, Deloitte Consulting LLP