CES 2025: Predictions and What to Expect

CES 2025: Dates and Event Overview

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 is scheduled to commence in Las Vegas on the morning of Tuesday, January 7th. The event will continue through the conclusion of the day on January 10th.

These dates specifically denote the period when the Las Vegas Convention Center is accessible to attendees. However, the show’s overall timeframe extends beyond these official dates.

Pre-Show Activities

A dedicated pair of press days will begin on Sunday. These days will feature several smaller events.

Leading up to January 6th, a concentrated series of press conferences will take place, creating a busy environment for media representatives.

January 6th itself will be characterized by a significant number of announcements and briefings for the press.

Therefore, while the core exhibition runs from January 7th to 10th, the complete CES 2025 experience encompasses a wider period.

Press Conferences

TechCrunch will be closely monitoring several key events.

AMD (Monday at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET): AMD faces a significant challenge at CES 2025. The company needs to demonstrate how it will effectively compete with Nvidia, which currently dominates the AI landscape. Expectations are high for AMD to unveil its next-generation GPU.

This could involve the release of RDNA 4 cards, potentially branded as either the RX 8000 or RX 9000 series.

Toyota (Monday at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m ET): Chairman Akio Toyoda is anticipated to heavily focus on Woven City, Toyota’s innovative “living laboratory” project. Details regarding specific announcements remain limited.

TechCrunch, having been present at the initial announcement in 2020, will be observing the integration of startups within Woven City and the progress towards a fully connected ecosystem powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

Samsung (Monday at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET): Samsung’s CES presentation typically deviates from a direct focus on consumer electronics. The company generally reserves major consumer electronics announcements, such as the Galaxy S25 flagship handset, for late January.

CES 2025 will likely continue Samsung’s tradition of showcasing advancements in TVs and appliances, alongside potentially experimental consumer robots.

The presentation’s tagline is “AI for All: Everyday, Everywhere.”

Nvidia (Monday at 6:30 p.m. PT/9:30 p.m. ET): Nvidia is poised to be a central figure at CES 2025. The company’s substantial market capitalization, exceeding $3.4 trillion, is largely attributed to its leading role in the AI revolution.

Significant purchases of Nvidia processors by companies like OpenAI and Meta are expected to continue into the new year. Founder and CEO Jensen Huang will inaugurate CES 2025, maintaining his signature style and forward-looking vision.

Additional Keynotes

Tuesday’s schedule includes notable keynotes from Twitter/X CEO Linda Yaccarino at 1:30 p.m. PT and Delta CEO Ed Bastian at 5 p.m. PT.

Bastian’s presentation will uniquely take place at the Sphere, a renowned venue for jam band performances. Both keynotes will be accessible via live stream on the official CES YouTube channel.

Emerging Trends at CES 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will undoubtedly dominate discussions at the upcoming show. This isn't a surprise, given the pervasive focus on AI throughout the technology sector currently. CES has consistently been a platform for showcasing AI advancements, with 2024 featuring some of the earliest consumer devices powered by generative AI.

Last year’s event saw the Rabbit R1 generate significant attention. However, similar to other AI-driven products like Humane’s AI Pin, the device ultimately did not meet initial expectations.

The influence of AI will extend beyond dedicated devices. It is anticipated that a substantial majority of products presented will incorporate AI in some capacity. Competition between Nvidia and AMD in the chip market is expected, with Nvidia being a central focus as it sets the pace for AI development in 2025. The release of the GeForce RTX 50 GPU is particularly anticipated.

AI integration will be visible across a wide range of products, from automobiles to household appliances. While some applications will offer genuine benefits, many may represent solutions in search of a defined problem. It’s crucial to maintain this perspective when evaluating innovations at a large event like CES, which hosted 4,300 companies and nearly 140,000 attendees last year.

Over the last ten years, CES has evolved into a prominent automotive showcase. This transformation is largely due to automakers striving to be at the forefront of technological innovation. The addition of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall in 2021 further facilitated this expansion.

The future of CES as a major automotive event remains uncertain. There appears to be reduced participation from some major manufacturers, including U.S. companies like Ford. This is likely influenced by the return of the Detroit North American International Auto Show, which overlaps with CES this year.

Despite this, significant automotive announcements are still expected. Toyota will be present, and Sony’s press conference is anticipated to feature updates on Afeela, its collaboration with Honda. Companies like Hyundai, owner of Boston Dynamics, will likely demonstrate advancements in robotics, including humanoid models.

Robotics has gained increasing prominence at CES in recent years. Discussions are expected to encompass various aspects of robotics, from manufacturing processes to eVTOLs. The automotive industry has been a leader in automated manufacturing, a trend accelerated by recent employment and supply chain challenges. Furthermore, eVTOLs recently achieved a significant regulatory milestone with FAA approval.

CES continues to serve as a key platform for launching new computer monitors. Samsung, ASUS, and MSI have all announced the introduction of 27-inch 4K OLED monitors boasting 240Hz refresh rates. Smart appliances are also consistently highlighted at the show, with LG already unveiling several new products. Samsung is expected to make further announcements during its press conferences.

A resurgence of smart home devices is anticipated after a period of relative inactivity. Improvements in interoperability through the Matter standard, the growth of generative AI platforms, and renewed efforts from smart assistant providers like Google, Amazon, and Apple are driving this trend.

Extended reality (XR) continues to face challenges despite recent hype. The Apple Vision Pro has not achieved the widespread adoption initially projected, and competitors struggle to match Meta’s ability to subsidize the cost of the Quest. Leading companies in the XR space, such as HTC and Magic Leap, have largely shifted their focus to enterprise applications.

However, chipmakers like Qualcomm remain committed to innovation in this area. They are expected to showcase new developments aimed at advancing XR technology.