The ‘Wow’ Moment That Struck Me At CES 2025: Big Tech Should Pay Attention

I’ve done more tech events and startups than I can count in a decade—including as a tech reporter, but Delta’s Cost of CES 2025 The main point is the only one that struck me, both literally and figuratively. That’s because the airline combined technology and storytelling to create a response that felt more personal and more impactful – and in doing so, they connected to one of the biggest trends of the coming year.

Delta used the technology in the world’s largest orbiter, the Las Vegas Spherewhich is a giant that is covered inside the display, because of its hundred years. In honor of 100 years of history, the airline also pulled Viola Davis, Tom Brady and Lenny Kravitz on stage for a proper party. But what was really impressive was how Delta used all of Sphere’s deep potential to bring something amazing to CES that didn’t need any standing ovation to inspire true excitement about how technology can change our lives.

In fact, by making full use of the Sphere’s technological power, it seemed like Delta was showing the world how much more complex it is in terms of technology that many companies, established by technology included, could learn from. The circular LED Sphere screen served as a screen to tell the story of the aircraft’s past, present and future.

We are often promised by technology companies that their innovations will make us feel connected and bring us valuable experiences. They often fulfill these promises in a way that is satisfactory to us, the people who end up using this technology. From social media, to VR, to conversational AI, there’s a gap between what we’re told we’re going to hear and what we’re actually hearing.

Check this out: Las Vegas Sphere: Everything You Need to Know

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The Sphere, on the other hand, is full of technology that lives up to its promises. It makes sense to share that in this case it helped me to be interested in marketing. Even as someone who had never flown with Delta before (it’s not a very big airline where I live in the UK), I had a good understanding of what the airline does, its people and its announcements, which included an AI team and partnerships with Uber and YouTube.

Before Delta CEO Ed Bastian boarded, the audience got a glimpse of the sunrise passing over the giant 160,000-square-foot Sphere before Delta’s largest plane headed straight for us. My seat rocked and I was blasted by a gust of wind that made me feel like I was actually being flown through an airport.

It was one of several moments at the event that Delta used the haptic technology built into each of Sphere’s 10,000 seats, including the venue’s visual and audio systems, to create a full multi-dimensional experience. At one point, when the screen turned into a giant cabin and we seemed to careen down, I felt my eyes cross and my stomach — a similar feeling to the motion sickness I’ve experienced in VR and beyond. roller coasters.

The 3D effect of the world around the world gave the impression of filling the venue, while the closing fireworks display filled the air with whizzes, pops and bangs that reverberated through the seats. It often saw cameras zooming in on long-time Delta employees scattered among the audience, as Bastian paid tribute to their contributions over the years of flying.

Even before the event, which took Delta nearly a year to develop and prepare, this event was the hot ticket at CES — and rightly so. Maybe Delta’s regular flyers would have liked it if the airline had put the money into expanding the cabin, but the often cynical reporter was impressed with the visuals, which made me more optimistic about the tech than I was at the crappy tech show.

There was a stark contrast between the heavy, repetitive announcements and the heartfelt messages of the real Delta pilots, which combined with the many events of the event made me feel like I was living in a world of a brave, well-known brand that is not afraid to steal. show.