CES 2025 opened in Las Vegas with major announcements from industry leaders like Samsung, Sony, Nvidia, and Toyota. Press Day showcased the latest consumer technology, setting the tone for the year ahead. Here’s a roundup of the top highlights.
Samsung’s Ballie and Yukai’s adorable robots
Samsung finally gave a tentative launch window for its much-anticipated home robot, Ballie. After years of development, this ball-shaped personal assistant is expected to roll out in 2025. Ballie autonomously navigates your home, connecting with appliances to perform monitoring or smart device control tasks. Samsung acknowledged challenges remain, but the announcement has rekindled excitement around the product.
Yukai Engineering brought whimsy to CES with its quirky robots. The Mirumi, a fuzzy, expressive robot, attaches to handbags and interacts with people in endearing ways. Meanwhile, the Nekojita FuFu, a tiny robotic cat, cools your tea or soup by blowing on it. These playful designs highlight how robotics can enhance small, joyful moments in daily life.
Big leaps in AI from LG and AMD
LG debuted its new “Affectionate Intelligence” concept, showcasing how AI can personalise home environments. LG’s AI agent, LG FURON, can adjust settings like temperature or provide reminders to take an umbrella. LG also announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft to enhance AI integration across homes, mobility, and commercial settings. For gamers, LG unveiled upgrades to its Xbox cloud gaming experience.
AMD unveiled a powerful new chip lineup, including the 9950X3D, which delivers an 8% performance boost for gaming compared to its predecessor. The company also launched new AI-driven processors for lightweight devices and gaming handhelds, cementing its position as a leader in chip innovation.
Toyota’s futuristic projects and Samsung Food
Toyota offered a fresh look at its ambitious Woven City, a planned high-tech community near Mt. Fuji. CEO Akio Toyoda demonstrated robot arms folding T-shirts with impressive skill, showcasing advancements in robotics. Toyoda also teased plans to explore space, sharing a rendering of a rocket designed by Interstellar Technologies.
Samsung introduced Samsung Food, an AI-powered feature for its 2025 TVs. The technology can analyse food on your screen and provide recipes while tracking grocery and takeaway orders via its app. This feature combines AI and convenience to bring culinary inspiration to your kitchen.
