Razer is making an appearance at CES, and while it’s fair to assume that the gaming tech company would centre its showcase around, well, gaming, you might not expect that the star of its showcase in Las Vegas this year seems to be AI.
The name of Razer’s showcase this year is “The Future of Gaming” and the company makes no secret that it thinks AI will be a major part of that future, and one of the key reveals was Project Ava, an AI “companion” that sits on your desk, much like an Amazon Echo. Only this time, the defining feature that sets it apart is an animated 3D hologram inside it, complete with five different personalities to choose from.
The hologram avatars are still in development, but the Ava will include five different personalities.
Screenshot: Razer YouTube channel.
The Ava was first announced back in CES 2025 and billed as an AI esports coach; Razer, it seems, has broadened its focus into being a full-fledged AI assistant, with life-organising features, the ability to brainstorm and bounce ideas off you, and its original intended purpose of real-time gaming advice.
The Ava is currently based on xAI’s Grok model, though Razer has built it with what it calls “an open, future-ready architecture”, such that, in the future, users can switch between different AI platforms of their choosing. The Ava is equipped with a HD camera and dual far-field array microphones; while some questions could certainly be raised about your hologram waifu being able to constantly hear and see you, with AI assistants, it’s no novel concern.
