CES 2025 was bigger, bolder and smarter than ever – and The Drum team was on the ground to cover it all. From shiny new processors and AI-powered healthcare wearables to robotaxis cruising the Vegas Strip, we tackled the world’s largest tech trade show with in-studio exclusives, on-the-ground scoops and trendspotting galore.
CES 2025 attracted over 141,000 attendees from around the world, with 40% of participants hailing from more than 150 countries.
CES 2025 rivaled the dazzling neon signs of Las Vegas with its display of cutting-edge innovation. This record-breaking event featured over 4,500 exhibitors and attracted 141,000 attendees from over 150 countries.
In the middle of it all was The Drum team, delivering exclusive interviews with tech’s most influential leaders, reporting on the boldest innovations and spotlighting the trends shaping tomorrow. Here’s a closer look at the standout trends and how we captured the pulse of the show.
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1. The chip revolution is here
Nvidia’s keynote, delivered by CEO Jensen Huang, stole the show with the unveiling of its Project Digits desktop computer, powered by the groundbreaking GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, which boasts 1 petaflop of AI performance.
Huang also unveiled Nvidia Cosmos, an open-source platform hosting generative world foundation models designed for physical AI applications.
Nvidia is betting big on AI agents – autonomous bots poised to reshape industries from customer service to research. Agentic AI, Huang suggested, represents a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity.
Intel and Qualcomm also made waves with next-gen processors. Intel’s Core Ultra 200V series enhanced AI across applications, while Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X brought AI efficiency to budget laptops and mini PCs.
2. Autonomous and electric vehicles take the stage
Automotive was in overdrive, with electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous tech leading the charge.
Amazon-owned Zoox debuted its first autonomous robotaxi on the Las Vegas Strip, while BMW and Sony Honda Mobility emphasized Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs).
Meanwhile, Honda’s all-electric models and BMW’s Panoramic iDrive interface underscored a focus on sustainability, seamless integration and futuristic design.
3. The smart home of tomorrow
Connected and AI-powered home devices dominated much of the chatter at CES 2025. Samsung and LG dominated the show with their smart home hubs, offering personalized, intuitive experiences and devices for the home of tomorrow.
From smart kitchen appliances to energy-efficient gadgets, the focus on automation and sustainability was clear. Enhanced security systems, immersive entertainment devices and wellness-focused tech like meditation tools rounded out the category.
Some of our personal favorites? A Samsung micro LED mirror designed to analyze skin types and provide personalized beauty recommendations, a robo-vacuum from SwitchBot that can double as a security camera and the world’s first-ever bendable 5K2K gaming monitor from LG.
4. Health & wellness tech, redefined
Health tech made a strong showing, with wearable devices offering real-time insights into glucose levels, oxygen saturation and even mental health. We checked out an AI-powered sleep headband from Frenz, an Oura ring competitor called Circular Ring 2 and even AI-driven hearing aids with automated translation capabilities.
Smart home health integrations like screening mirrors and hydration-monitoring toilets showcased the convenience of at-home wellness, while telemedicine and AI diagnostics pushed healthcare into the future.
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Meanwhile, The Drum team worked all week to cover top announcements, secure exclusive interviews with tech titans and deliver real-time insights to audiences everywhere.
Here are some of the highlights.
‘Tech Talks‘ morning briefings with Monks
Hosted exclusively in The Drum’s 56th floor studio in the Aria hotel, powered by Monks, US associate editor Kendra Barnett hosted ‘Tech Talks,’ a daily series providing bite-sized overviews of CES highlights.
She was joined every morning by Monks executives – including SVP of experience Karli DeFilippo, SVP of partner growth Tobey Van Santvoord, global chief client officer Deborah Heslip and VP and global head of engineering Iran Reyes – to discuss the latest happenings at the event and the implications for the marketing and advertising community.
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Exclusive interviews with tech’s most influential leaders
Barnett also led the flagship ‘Innovation Insider‘ series, a set of 12 deep-dive interviews with some of the most influential leaders in tech and media today.
Meta CMO Alex Schultz weighed in on Mark Zuckerberg’s content moderation changes and discussed the company’s plans for promoting its Ray-Ban AI glasses. Meanwhile, Microsoft VP Silvia Candiani talked AI ethics and TikTok’s head of creative solutions and trends Cassie Taylor outlined the consumer behaviors shaping trends and marketing on the platform – just a day ahead of the company’s Friday appeal to the Supreme Court as it attempts to block an impending ban.
Plus, Snapchat’s AR visionary Resh Sidhu walked us through a live demo of the company’s AR-powered Spectacles, currently in beta for developers.
Stream the full series here.
Barnett also recounted highlights from top interviews, including the one-on-ones with Meta’s Schultz and Microsoft’s Candiani, in long-form reporting for The Drum.
Feature-length coverage and industry insights
The Drum’s founder and editor-in-chief Gordon Young brought in-depth reporting to CES 2025, covering all the key points from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's highly anticipated keynote presentation, delivering an inside look at the the historic IPG-Omnicom merger with Philippe Krakowsky and John Wren and unpacking S4 boss Sir Martin Sorrell’s view on industry consolidation.
Young also led the charge on key AI-focused coverage at CES 2025. He caught up with Monks’ new head of AI and explored why speed – not AI – will make all the difference for Yahoo’s DSP. Plus, he dug into Mastercard CMO Raja Rajamannar’s conviction about authenticity in the age of AI.
Entertaining showcases from the showroom floor
US reporter Audrey Kemp delivered dynamic social coverage from CES’s 2.5m square feet of exhibit space.
She spotlighted her five favorite innovations from the week in one snappy video roundup.
Other highlights included Changhong’s AI-powered concept home, Body Friend’s heart-monitoring massage chair and Hypervsn’s LED holograms. Meanwhile, Kemp’s ‘Battle of the Brands’ series pitted top innovations against one another, from techy turntables from both Victor and Crosley to Caterpillar’s hybrid electric equipment and John Deere’s autonomous dump truck.
Finally, Kemp teamed up with The Drum’s marketing manager, Molly Voska, to co-produce ‘Swiping Right or Left on Tech,’ a social-first series where industry leaders, including LG Ad Solutions’ Tony Marlow and System1’s Vanessa Chin, debate which trends are hot – and which are not.
Explore all of The Drum’s in-depth coverage, exclusive interviews and on-the-ground insights from CES 2025 here.