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Digital signage innovations, energy transition, mobility innovations like self-driving vehicles, and, of course, artificial intelligence were some of the key themes at CES 2025.
The event also introduced some unexpected developments, like the eco-friendly paper battery—an alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. This biodegradable technology is one of the many green innovations that caught the attention of industry leaders.
Here's a look at the top highlights.
Emerging Digital Signage Trends Showcased at CES 2025
One of the most prominent trends is the integration of AI-powered content creation and personalization.
Sam Garfield, industry strategy expert at Adobe and one of the panelists at the CES 2025 Gen AI Personalization: Advancing the Promise of Digital panel emphasized the transformative potential of AI: "AI will be the most transformational technology of our lifetime."
This sentiment was echoed across the show floor, with many exhibitors demonstrating how AI can generate dynamic, context-aware content in real-time.
David Burrick, Chief Strategy Officer at Intersection, also shared his insights from CES 2025, reflecting on the growing importance of AI in out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Burrick noted, "Every large electronics company debuted products with artificial intelligence integrations. It’s clear that AI can enhance and personalize the customer experience of everyday tools."
But perhaps the most visual trend was the advancement in display technology. Samsung and LG both unveiled impressive innovations, including transparent and flexible OLED displays.
Faytech also showcased a 30-inch transparent OLED kiosk that will allow users to see through the screen while still interacting with digital content.
But what were the top highlights related to digital signage? Here are 10 highlights from this year’s event:
Top 10 CES 2025 Highlights in Digital Signage
1. 8K and MicroLED Displays for Unmatched Clarity
Samsung was leading in this category. They launched two new products.
One of their most notable releases was an 8K TV featuring an RGB micro-LED backlight, a significant upgrade from traditional LED technology. This model, showcased as a prototype at the Samsung First Look event ahead of CES, promises enhanced brightness and color accuracy.
With "three times more LEDs" than traditional LED TVs, it allows for bolder colors and better contrast. Samsung also mentioned that the smaller micro-LED backlight would enable more dimming zones, further improving color precision and overall picture quality.
This micro-LED TV also offers improved energy efficiency, reducing power consumption by 20% compared to conventional LED displays. Samsung intends to launch a 4K version later in 2025, with plans for smaller-sized variants to suit a range of consumers. It is expected to carry a premium price tag.
Another company with a notable release was Hisense. They launched the the Hisense 136MX MicroLED TV. This TV works by charging organic LEDs instead of individual organic emitting diodes.
2. Flexible OLED and Transparent Screens
Flexible OLED technology was another major highlight at CES 2025, with bendable and transparent display advancements. This is a type of OLED display that can be bent or curved.
Samsung also led the way in this category. They showed off a stretchable Micro LED display capable of physically bulging out of a flat surface.
This display warped into a fisheye-like shape before returning to its original flat state.
They also showed bendable screens that can wrap around the dashboard of a car with the screen curving to match your interior design.
Faytech, another key player, demonstrated their biaxially curved, bonded, transparent OLEDs. Founder Arne Weber said, “With this launch, we are opening a new chapter in display technology.” These OLEDs are aimed at the automotive industry, with potential uses in in-car entertainment systems, privacy screens, and touch-enabled displays for automotive functions.
Tianma also showcased several automotive display technologies, including a Dual-Screen Multi-Curved Color-Matched OLED Display, a 3D Instrument Cluster, and a 12.3" LTPS Mini-LED InvisiVue™ Display.
3. AI Video Production for Digital Signage
Another big launch was the groundbreaking AI-powered video production platform by Samsung for digital signage through its C-Lab startup program.
The new platform is called 10km.ai. It’s an enterprise AI video production solution that can generate, edit, and distribute videos at scale.
According to the team behind 10km.ai, this AI-driven solution reduces video production time, cutting what would normally take three days down to just five minutes. The platform works by generating video content based on corporate identity (CI) specifications and customizable templates.
10km.ai is designed to address the unique challenges that come with digital signage, like screen orientation, varying resolutions, and the need for soundless content.
The platform also supports various AI language models and allows companies to run their large language models (LLMs) to ensure compliance with data privacy and copyright requirements.
Additionally, 10km.ai is not limited to corporate content but is also focused on creating digital out-of-home (DOOH) and retail media content for programmatic advertising campaigns.
4. Transparent OLED Kiosks
Transparent OLED technology took a major step forward with the introduction of interactive kiosks that combine display technology with functionality.
Faytech, a leading manufacturer in this space, presented a 30-inch transparent OLED kiosk that allows users to see through the screen while still interacting with digital content.
The kiosk is designed for self-service use in restaurants and boasts a 10-finger multi-touch interface, a payment system, a scanner, and a printer. You can mount it on walls, set up as a freestanding unit, or even use it as a tabletop.
However, Faytech did not disclose pricing details for the kiosk. Will they be affordable? We have to wait and see. But transparent OLED technology remains a premium offering. For instance, the LG's 77-inch transparent OLED TV, also at CES 2025, came with a hefty price tag of $60,000.
5. Directional Audio Display
Audfly unveiled its flagship product, the Focusound Screen®. This transparent, film-based sound solution delivers focused audio directly to users and minimizes sound dispersion to surrounding areas.
Khan Flicks, an attendee at the event, described the experience saying, "It's like a beam of sound that only hits you. If you move, you don’t hear it."
With this sound delivery technology, you can engage in virtual meetings or consume multimedia without disturbing those around you.
Audfly also unveiled a transparent advertisement screen equipped with directional sound, further demonstrating the versatility of their technology.
The company has also partnered with Lenovo to integrate this technology into the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6, an all-in-one desktop.
This technology can be used to:
- Enhance productivity and privacy in open office layouts
- Provide immersive experiences for gaming and multimedia
- Improve in-vehicle audio experiences
- Deliver targeted audio content in public spaces
Audfly also presented other AI-powered PC products featuring their Screen Focus Sound Technology, including laptops and smart monitors.
6. 43" Curved Optically Bonded Displays and Bendable Monitors
Optical bonding technology offers improvement in display quality by reducing reflections and enhancing contrast.
Faytech was among the leaders in this space, showcasing their innovative 43" curved optically bonded display. This display is designed for a range of applications like:
- Retail displays
- Gaming setups
- Interactive kiosks
The curved design provides a striking aesthetic that stands out in any environment.
LG also made waves with their new UltraGear™ OLED 5K 2K bendable gaming monitor. The monitor features a motorized bending system. You can adjust the curvature from flat to a maximum 900R curvature.
It also offers WUHD 165Hz maximum resolution, or you can play games WFHD at 330 Hz.
7. Quantum Computing Integration
As digital signage systems become more connected, quantum computing could play a role in enhancing security measures to protect against cyber threats.
Despite the optimism, some industry leaders, like NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, suggested widespread, practical quantum computing might still be 15-30 years away.
In a conversation with analysts about the future of quantum computing, Huang remarked, “If you said 15 years for very useful quantum computers, that would probably be on the early side. If you said 30, it’s probably on the late side. But if you picked 20, I think a whole bunch of us would believe it.”
His cautious outlook reflects the uncertainty still surrounding the practical applications of quantum computing.
Despite Huang's pessimistic outlook, quantum industry leaders at CES 2025 strongly disagreed:
- Margaret Arakawa, CMO of IonQ, emphasized that quantum computing is already addressing complex challenges and delivering real-world breakthroughs.
- Dr. Joe Broz, VP of IBM Quantum, stated that we are currently in an era of "quantum utility" with quantum advantage expected in the near term.
- Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave Quantum, called Huang's views "completely incorrect," pointing out that companies like Mastercard and Volkswagen are already using D-Wave's quantum computers in their operations.
These differing opinions highlight that the quantum computing industry is divided on how soon the technology will become widely accessible and practical for industries like digital signage.
8. BOE's AI Media Center
At CES 2025, BOE debuted its innovative "AI Media Center." It’s a 65-inch 4K Ultra HD device for smart home entertainment.
Developed in collaboration with Qualcomm, this proof-of-concept product is powered by BOE’s System on Module (SoM) core board, which features the Qualcomm QCS8550 chipset.
It also includes an advanced AI camera that enhances its ability to deliver personalized experiences. Adding to its capabilities, the device has an 8-microphone array, ensuring superior sound quality. This could be beneficial for audio-visual digital signage applications.
9. Sustainability Focus
Sustainability was a major focus at CES 2025. One expert highlighted the growing importance of sustainability to younger generations, noting, "Gen Z is 2.5 times more likely to purchase goods with multiple sustainability values."
This shift is influencing product development and corporate strategies across various industries.
And at the event, many companies demonstrated their commitment to sustainability:
- Samsung unveiled a prototype television powered by solar energy.
- Volvo Group's CEO, Martin Lundstedt, called for accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles.
- HERE Technologies focused on creating sustainable booth designs, with Benjamin Arditti stating, "It's not about showing sustainability; it's about being sustainable."
Airfarm, an innovator in sustainable farming, was also honored with a CES Innovation Award for the second consecutive year. Their Airfarm, an inflatable, aeroponic indoor farm, slashes water usage by 99% compared to traditional farming and 90% compared to other vertical farming methods.
10. Next-Generation Entertainment
Once again, the entertainment industry debuted innovations that promise to transform how we experience media and content.
Nvidia unveiled its GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, powered by the new Blackwell AI chip. CEO Jensen Huang described this as “a major advancement in computer graphics, enabling real-time, high-quality images for gaming and content creation.”
AMD also introduced its latest Ryzen and AI series processors. Jack Huynh, AMD's Senior Vice President, emphasized the proliferation of AI to devices, bringing workstation power to thin and light laptops.
Hisense also introduced its 116-inch RGB LED TV, the UX Trichroma TV. This TV features a backlighting system that delivers deeper blacks, enhanced brightness, and a wider color gamut. Hisense says the RGB Local Dimming allows this TV to cover 97% of the BT.2020 color space.
This innovation positions RGB LED as a cost-effective alternative to OLED and MicroLED technologies.
What These Innovations Mean for the Digital Signage Industry
CES 2025 highlighted several innovations that will majorly impact the digital signage and out-of-home (OOH) advertising industries.
AI-driven solutions, like Samsung’s 10km.ai platform, will make video content production faster and more efficient. Businesses will be able to create high-quality, brand-compliant videos in just minutes.
And if you’re eager to take advantage of these innovations in your digital signage strategy, Look Digital Signage has the tools to get you started. Sign up for a free trial of the CMS today and see how easy it is to integrate AI-driven content and sustainable technology into your displays.
