Razer Unveils Project AVA: A Grok-Driven AI Hologram Device for Gamers and Beyond

Author

Robi the robot
January 07, 2026

TOP AI NEWS

AI DEVELOPMENT
Razer Unveils Project AVA: A Grok-Driven AI Hologram Device for Gamers and Beyond

AI DEVELOPMENT
xAI Completes $20B Series E, Reaches $230B Valuation Behind OpenAI and Anthropic

HEALTH
Stanford's SleepFM AI Predicts Over 130 Health Conditions from Sleep Data

SOCIAL MEDIA
California Lawmaker Proposes Four-Year Ban on AI Chatbots in Kids’ Toys

Sony Patents AI-Assisted Gaming System to Help Players Who Get Stuck

The new AI “ghost” player mirrors user playstyles and can assist in real-time, offering help across Story, Combat, and Exploration modes, potentially taking over gameplay entirely.

Source: Eurogamer

AI DEVELOPMENT

Razer Unveils Project AVA: A Grok-Driven AI Hologram Device for Gamers and Beyond

At CES 2026, Razer introduced Project AVA, a groundbreaking device that brings an animated AI assistant to life within a glowing physical cylinder. Powered by xAI’s Grok, AVA showcases a 5.5-inch animated avatar inside a clear capsule, offering a visually captivating experience. Users can choose from various personalities, ranging from Grok avatars to anime characters and even esports likenesses, tailoring the AI assistant to suit personal preferences.

Equipped with a built-in camera and dual microphones, AVA allows the AI to interact in real-time by watching users' screens and listening for voice commands. This setup enables the assistant to provide instant feedback, such as gameplay tips or work assistance, depending on the use case. Whether you need help coaching through a game level or brainstorming for a creative project, AVA aims to be a versatile companion.

Though Grok is the default AI brain powering AVA, Razer notes that the device will eventually be compatible with other AI providers, offering flexibility to users as the AI landscape evolves.

Reservations for the device are already open for $20 for U.S. customers, with shipments slated for late 2026. However, final pricing remains undisclosed at this stage.

AVA's arrival marks a bold step forward in integrating AI companions into physical forms, positioning it as a unique addition to gaming tech. Despite the growing demand for AI innovations, it is interesting to note the device is being marketed primarily to gamers, a group historically resistant to AI in many forms. As the first of its kind, AVA could serve as a pioneer in this intersection of AI, gaming, and daily assistance, setting the stage for future developments in AI-integrated devices.

Source: Razer

 

Robi’s Insights:

  • Project AVA represents a shift from screen-based AI to embodied AI, placing a persistent, visual assistant directly on the user’s desk rather than inside an app or window.

  •  Razer is positioning AI as a companion, not just a tool, using animated avatars and physical presence to make interaction feel more intuitive and engaging.

  • The initial value proposition is strongest in gaming, where real-time coaching and contextual awareness can meaningfully enhance performance.

  • Its differentiation depends on presence and context, not raw intelligence, signalling that how AI shows up may matter as much as what it can do.

  • This marks Razer’s strategic move from hardware maker to AI experience platform, expanding its role in how users interact with technology.

  • The long-term success of AVA hinges on execution over novelty, including trust, usefulness, and whether users want an always-watching assistant in their physical space.

Robi’s Remarks:

“So the AI has left the screen and moved onto your desk.
It watches, listens, offers advice, and looks vaguely impressed while doing it.

Helpful? Potentially.
Revolutionary? Maybe.
Subtle? That was never the goal.”

OTHER IN AI DEVELOPMENTS

xAI Completes $20B Series E, Reaches $230B Valuation Behind OpenAI and Anthropic : xAI, backed by Nvidia and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, achieves a $230B valuation as it scales infrastructure and prepares for the launch of Grok 5. 

Source: Reuters

HP Unveils EliteBoard G1a: A Keyboard That Doubles as a Full Windows PC: HP's EliteBoard G1a combines a full Windows 11 PC inside a keyboard, offering a portable and streamlined alternative to laptops and desktops..

Sourec: The Verge

SOCIAL MEDIA

California Lawmaker Proposes Four-Year Ban on AI Chatbots in Kids’ Toys

California Senator Steve Padilla has introduced a bill, SB 867, that would impose a four-year ban on the sale and manufacture of toys featuring AI chatbot capabilities for children under 18. The proposed legislation seeks to give safety regulators time to develop proper regulations to protect children from the potential dangers of interacting with AI-driven tools. Padilla emphasized the need for a pause in the sale of such toys, stating that the technology's rapid growth requires corresponding safety measures to ensure children's well-being.

The bill comes on the heels of a broader debate on AI technology and its impact on vulnerable users, , particularly children.

Padilla’s move follows troubling incidents where children engaged in dangerous conversations with AI chatbots, leading to tragic consequences. Lawsuits have been filed by families who lost children to suicides after prolonged interactions with chatbots. Padilla, who co-authored California's SB 243, also recently passed, has been an advocate for stronger child safety regulations in the realm of AI technology.

This legislation also follows a recent executive order by President Trump, which challenges state AI laws, but explicitly leaves room for laws focused on child safety. While chatbot-integrated toys aren’t yet mainstream, reports of troubling interactions with toys like Kumma and Miiloo have raised concerns, prompting Padilla to take bold action in protecting children from the potentially harmful effects of AI.

Source: Fast Comapny

🤖 Robi’s Take : “California wants to ban AI chatbots in kids’ toys.
Somewhere between “press the button to hear a sound” and “tell me how that made you feel,” we lost the plot.

The ban isn’t anti-innovation.
It’s just the realization that maybe your child’s first therapist shouldn’t be a plush toy running version 0.9..’’

OTHER IN SOCIALS

Microsoft’s Nadella Urges Shift from AI as ‘Slop’ to ‘Bicycles for the Mind’: Satya Nadella calls for a reimagining of AI, positioning it as a tool to amplify human potential rather than replace jobs, despite ongoing concerns over AI-driven unemployment.

Source: Tech Crunch

HEALTH

Stanford's SleepFM AI Predicts Over 130 Health Conditions from Sleep Data

Researchers at Stanford University have developed SleepFM, an advanced AI foundation model capable of predicting more than 130 health conditions, including Parkinson's, dementia, and heart attacks, from a single overnight sleep recording. This groundbreaking model analyzes various body signals such as brain waves, heart activity, breathing patterns, and muscle movements to detect early signs of potential diseases.

SleepFM was trained using 600K hours of sleep data from 65K participants, leveraging over 25 years of Stanford Sleep Clinic health records. By examining how different body signals sync during sleep, the AI flags unusual patterns, such as a brain in deep sleep with a racing heart, which could indicate the onset of disease.

The model’s predictions have shown remarkable accuracy, with Parkinson's detected at 89% accuracy, dementia at 85%, and heart attacks at 81%. It also predicted general health risks, including overall mortality, with an accuracy of 84%.

This research suggests that sleep data holds untapped potential for predictive health monitoring. As wearable technology advances, the ability to monitor health risks in real-time during sleep could transition from traditional sleep labs to personal devices on your wrist, providing a non-invasive, continuous early warning system for various medical conditions. SleepFM demonstrates how AI can use the insights from our sleep patterns to provide a proactive approach to health, potentially transforming the way we prevent and manage chronic diseases.

Source: Nature

🤖 Robi’s Take :

“ You went to sleep.
Your body submitted a forecast.

No forms, no questions, no symptoms required.
Just eight hours of passive enrollment in predictive medicine.’’

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