CES 2025

Did you know the average American needs 4 touchpoints before making a purchase—but Gen Z needs 6? Or that AI wrote 25% of Google’s code in 2024? These are just a couple of the takeaways from my first time at CES 2025.

The sheer scale of it needs to be seen to be believed: 4,500+ exhibitors and 141,000+ attendees. Everything is epic in size, including the Immersive Delta Keynote, which was held at the Sphere. The keynote took over both the interior and exterior of the Sphere, the largest and highest-resolution screen in the world.

AI Everywhere

Of course, AI was front and center, mentioned in almost every session I attended and incorporated in some way into the majority of products on the expo floor. A fun fact from Google: 25% of their code written in 2024 was AI-generated.

The Cathy Hackl Moderated Panel: “The Future of AI”

This panel was exceptional, and here are my key takeaways:

AI as an Enabler, Not a Replacement

Resh Sidhu , Snapchat Global Director at Arcadia AR Innovation Studio, shared that AI is not a threat to creativity but a tool that liberates it: "What it means is it frees up your team's time to do less of the grunt work and more of what we're here to do—imagine, build, and innovate."

This perspective is essential as we embrace AI-driven efficiencies across industries. The ability to iterate at lightning speed, create personalized experiences, and solve complex business problems ensures that creativity remains central to innovation.

The Convergence of AI and AR: Shaping the Future

AR and AI together are revolutionizing how brands connect with their audiences. For example, Snapchat’s integration of AI in its latest Spectacles showcases the power of contextual computing—real-time generative AI meeting AR experiences. Resh explained: "I can put these on right now and say, ‘Give me a cupcake with sprinkles on it and a frog with a cowboy hat,’ and boom—it would appear. It’s generative AI in real time."

This ability to blend digital layers with our physical world is not just an exciting trend; it’s a paradigm shift.

AI RAN: Redefining the Infrastructure of AI

Leslie Shannon , Nokia Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting, discussed AI RAN (Radio Access Network)—a groundbreaking approach to embedding AI compute directly into mobile base stations powered by NVIDIA GPUs.

Why this matters:

• Cheaper, More Accessible Devices: AI processing is done on the network, making devices like AR glasses lighter, cheaper, and more energy-efficient.
• Faster, Smarter AI Interactions: Near-edge compute enables instant AI-powered services without latency or dependency on cloud connections.
• Enhanced Privacy: Local data processing ensures user data remains secure and closer to the source.
• Global Scalability: AI RAN democratizes access, making advanced AI services available in underserved regions without expensive hardware upgrades.

Leslie aptly compared this to the advent of electricity: "Over time, electricity moved into everyone’s houses, changing lives in ways unimaginable in 1881. AI will follow a similar trajectory, transforming every aspect of our lives."

AI as a Connector: Music and Human Interaction

Jonathan Vlassopulos , Napster CEO, reminded us that AI isn’t just about data; it’s about connection: "We’re leveraging AI not to create more music—we have plenty of it—but to connect people through shared tastes and experiences."

A Call for Inclusive Innovation

Ani Chahal Honan , Imagine & Unity Founder and Managing Partner, delivered a powerful reminder of the societal responsibility we carry as innovators: "Over 85% of people around the world say AI is not for people like me. We must work to ensure that innovation invites everyone to the table."

Spatial Computing: Transforming How We Interact with Technology

As a creative technologist working in XR and Spatial Computing, I was pleased to see that technologists, futurists, and marketers all recognized that this technology will change everything about the way we interact with digital content in the future.

Neil Trevett , NVIDIA VP, captured both the opportunity and responsibility of this transformation: "Spatial computing brings us closer to machines in ways we’ve never imagined—but it also means those machines are closer to us. If we’re not vigilant about privacy, this powerful tool could erode trust before we’ve even begun to harness its full potential."

Devices like Meta Quest 3 with digital pass-through and a wide range of smart glasses are already reshaping how we engage with technology. Kelly Ingham , Meta VP, explained: "We’re seeing people use headsets for everything from gaming to doing the dishes. When technology fits into your everyday life, it stops being niche and starts being essential."

Examples include:

• Real-time translation: Smart glasses that translate foreign menus or provide subtitles for live conversations.
• AI-powered overlays for professionals: AR tools guiding technicians repairing complex machinery or assisting surgeons with real-time visualizations.
• Interactive daily life: Personalized XR content for gaming, learning, or fitness coaching, and navigation for visually impaired users.

Jason McGuigan , Lenovo Head of Virtual Reality, noted: "It’s not about hardware specs—it’s about solving real problems with real solutions."

Spatial Computing relies heavily on smart glasses, and many were on display—from Snap’s prototype V5 to Meta Ray-Bans. There were several experimental designs on the expo floor. (In my opinion, none yet rival the comprehensive offerings of Apple, Meta, or Snap.)

AI and Marketing: A New Era

In the session “2025: The Year Marketing Will Change Forever”, panelists explored how brands are building meaningful ecosystems where technology, personalization, and co-creation converge.

Gulen Bengi , Lead Global CMO, Mars Inc, highlighted: "Fundamentals of brand building will always stay, but the world, the life, the context of the life we're living is being redefined with AI."

Mars is leveraging AI to:

• Deliver hyper-personalized engagements at scale.
• Enable predictive care in pet health.
• Create fan-driven campaigns that reflect deep understanding and empathy.

Molly Battin , SVP Home Depot, discussed blending physical and digital tools to empower overwhelmed customers. Allison Robl Stransky VP Samsung, emphasized AI’s ability to improve sleep patterns, enable predictive care, and create seamless, connected customer experiences.

Gen Alpha and Gen Z: Shaping the Future of Retail

The average American has four touchpoints before making a transaction or purchase. But for Gen Z, it’s six. This indicates that Gen Z requires significantly more interactions or engagements with a brand before making a purchase compared to older demographics, highlighting their need for deeper connection and trust.

• Gen Alpha gravitates toward sophisticated global brands like Amazon, Apple, and Nike, signaling unexpectedly mature preferences even at a young age. They expect hyper-personalized shopping experiences, driven by AI-enabled recommendations and seamless omnichannel solutions.
• Gen Z sees purchases as extensions of their identity, prioritizing authentic representation and alignment with their values. Retail experiences need to be immersive and engaging, with a focus on AR-enabled try-ons, gamified shopping, and opportunities for co-creation.

Despite the stereotype of fleeting attention spans, Gen Z has a strong appetite for long-form, meaningful content—provided it aligns with their passions and delivers real value.

Both generations share a demand for ethical transparency and are drawn to brands with sustainable practices and purpose-driven missions. This convergence of high expectations for personalization, values alignment, and innovation is pushing brands to evolve rapidly.

The Expo Floor:?

While my interest was predominately in immersive tech it is impossible not to take note of the sheer amount of consumer products being shown off, from a magic wand to remove my wrinkles (which it didn’t), A Kiegel Exercise Machine designed to improve bladder function and sexual enjoyment (didn’t try that one ;) pee on a stick everything from reading your hormones to your cortisol levels (really clever) to Mirokai the first social general purpose robot (yes robotics was huge this year of course given the advances of AI). One of my favourite products was a doctor who has created the Emily Digital Twin (named after his granddaughter who had an undiagnosed heart issue as a young girl). This creates a digital twin of your body taken from CT scans and MRI - it then runs a bunch of AI tools across your body to diagnose issues that you may not have any symptoms for yet, creating comprehensive digital replicas of human organs, including the heart, brain, and lungs. These virtual twins are designed to revolutionize healthcare by enabling precise simulations for medical research, surgical planning, and personalized treatment strategies. In fact this founders own life was saved after he used the system on himself and discovered a brain tumour which was caught early.

Personal Highlights

A)The The Female Quotient Lounge was a fantastic hospitality space, thanks to Shelley Zalis and her team, filled to the brim with incredible women in tech (or STEMinists). It offered opportunities to network and attend many inspirational panels over the two days.

B) The Delta Air Lines Keynote at Sphere .Just wow. For a long time, I’ve admired Alicia Tillman and the work she’s led at Delta, championing innovation and customer experience. To celebrate their centenary, Delta didn’t just raise the bar—they redefined it. With CEO Ed Bastian centre stage, the 16K resolution Sphere screen completely immersed attendees in a sensory experience. For example dynamic on screen visuals of a plane taking off and landing was accompanied with synchronized sound and vibrating seats. When Uber brought coffee onstage, the entire Sphere (packed with 10,000 people) was filled with the rich aroma of hazelnut, taking immersion into a fourth dimension. And the finale fireworks filled the Sphere with the sounds and smells of fireworks to accompany the visuals.

So what is does the future of travel with Delta look like?

Delta Concierge, powered by AI, will transform travel into a connected, seamless, hyper-personalized experience. It offers voice-activated trip management, real-time gate adjustments, AR wayfinding,? digital bag tracking. Delta’s collaboration with Stravito AI ensures customer feedback is analyzed intelligently, enabling the airline to tailor services to individual needs. I

Through partnerships with Uber and Joby Aviation, Delta will integrate eVTOL aircraft and rideshare solutions to create a cohesive and efficient ecosystem. Their collaboration with Airbus revealed sustainability initiatives pioneering biofuels and hydrogen-powered aircraft to wings that change shape in flight (like a bird) to biomimicry-inspired self-healing materials that mimic nature’s ingenuity to improve durability and reduce waste.

Onboard, Delta will introduce? 4K HDR seatback screens, Bluetooth connectivity, and Delta Sync, which offers personalized, ad-free content through partnerships like YouTube.

If that wasn’t enough, the Keynote was followed by a private performance by Lenny Kravitz. I haven’t seen him live since the 90s, and let me tell you—he’s still got it.

Final Word:

This show will always carry the shadow of the devastating LA fires, where so many experienced profound loss. Ironically, on Day 1, I met Canadian military pilots developing a startup that uses computer vision and AR to fight bush fires. Their vision struck me as purposeful, though I couldn’t have imagined just how relevant it would become the very next day.

It’s a sobering reminder that no matter how advanced our technology becomes, Mother Nature will always have the power to surpass it.