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Gmail was always a gateway drug for the greater Google ecosystem. When it launched in 2004, Gmail stood out by offering then-wild amounts of storage for free. Despite few updates to its design in two decades, it now boasts 2.5 billion users and is the largest email service in the world. Andlike so much of the tech industryGoogle is betting that email will sell you on its next big bet: AI. Starting today, Gmail will begin rolling out three new AI services that will significantly impact the way you use your inbox. Gmails new AI features Two of the services require a $20/mo subscription to its Gemini AI service, while the third will come to all users, free. (And yes, you will be able to opt out if you dont want them.) The biggest, and most exciting update is AI Overviews. In essence, this is the Gmail search bar you knowthat perplexing window that stares you in the face as you wonder, what combination of keywords do I need to recall from a random message thread from 6 years ago? [Image: Google] But now, the search bar is infused with AI. So you can ask anythinglike, who was the recruiter I talked to last weekand itll pop up their name alongside other recruiters you may have been talking to a bullet point summary that includes names, dates, and other details from your conversations. Whats interesting about those summaries is that they might include things that your friends said about these recruiters and companies in other emails on the topicwhich Gmail cites with its now-familiar notation we see in Googles main AI search. Then below this new AI summary, youll find all your related emails, much like in classic Gmail search. The next feature is a bit more disquieting, and a direct extension of Googles autocomplete Smart Replies. Now called Suggested Replies, its essentially an auto-email writer. At the bottom of someones email to you, Suggested Replies floats a gray preview of an already-written response. If you tap on itmuch like you can tap on Googles autocomplete suggestions todayit transforms from a gray preview into a fully editable email box. Suggested Replies is actually coming to all users, free, as is a related Help Me Write feature which generates an email from a prompt. (Pro users also get a set of features that also includes a more generalized proofread grammar check, for those who respect the people theyre emailing enough to actually write a note themselves.) [Image: Google] Finally, all users will get access to a new Gmail AI inbox. This is at least the third attempt Gmail is making to cut through the clutter of your emailswhich is necessary for most people, as the average, overwhelmed person gets dozens of emails a day but takes action on fewer than five, according to Yahoo. [Image: Google] AI Inbox has two big features. The first turns your emails into a to-do list. Instead of showing you an email you haven’t responded to, it actually gives you a job like send Ernies vaccination records to Doggy Daycare. Whats clever in the UI is that these to-dos are actually presented a lot like emails. Theyre familiarwhich is key to a platform used by billions of people. You see someones avatar alongside a two-line summary of what you have to do. And by clicking a reply button, and youre ushered into the proper email thread to do it. Just below the to-do list, theres a second, catch me up list. This goes into various topics, ranging from your childrens school updates to your bills. It summarizes the state of play, reminds you of upcoming chats, and lists pertinent dates coming up. Its also heavily cited, with direct links to emails on each topic. Google’s greater AI-meets-email strategy For Google, AI is not just a means to improve your inbox clutter in the immediate. In the longer term, Blake Barnes, head of Gmail product, shared that Google is building a future where the lines between the rich data inside our inboxes and our search queries combine into a far more satisfying, and effective manifestation of Google AI. Assuming youre willing to open up your email to Googles wider service stack. What if Gemini could help you plan a vacation with all of the context Gmail has? Imagine that experience. We know what kind of places you like to go to. We know the budget you usually spend. We know how many people youre traveling with, Barnes told us for an essay in Fast Companys Winter issue, imagining that it could eventually help with about any task you wanted to do. Its like having your own personal chief of staff, he said. However, in the immediate, a Google spokesperson confirmed that Gmails AI is being operated as a separate silo from Gemini AI, and using Gmail AI does not involve ads or commingling with core Search. That seemingly trial separation is enough to make Gmail AI seem like an inevitable, and irresistible toe dip for a large swath of the global population into having a personal AI assistant. Just please, please write me that next email yourself.
Category:
E-Commerce
Gaming peripheral company Razer is betting that people want AI holograms. So much so that it introduce a perplexing new product at CES 2026 that early critics have dubbed a “friend in a bottle.” Project AVA, is a small glass cylinder that features a 5.5-inch animated desk buddy that can interact with you, coach you, or offer gaming advice on demandall powered by xAI’s Grok. Project AVA uses a technology Razer calls “PC Vision Mode” that watches your screen, allowing its 3D animated inhabitant to offer real-time commentary on your gameplay, track your mood, or simply hang out. It attempts to sell the illusion of presencea companion that isn’t just an app you close, but a physical object that lives in your room. Its not a bad idea, in theory. Giving AI a face is not just a marketing ploy but a biological inevitability. Yet Project AVA marks a strange new milestone in our march toward AI companions. [Image: Razer] The inevitability of holographic AI When OpenAI’s introduced ChatGPT 4o voice chats in the summer of 2024, humanity entered a new form of computer interaction. Suddenly, we could interact with AI voices that were smart and natural enough for humans to maintain a conversation. Since then, we have seen other voice AIs like Gemini Live, which introduce pauses, breathing, and other elements that cross the uncanny valley and allow many to suspend disbelief and even form a bond with these assistants. Research has shown that for deep emotional venting, users currently prefer voice-only interfaces because they feel safer and less judgmental. Without a face to scrutinize, we avoid the social anxiety of being watched. However, some neuroscientists argue that this preference may just be a temporary work-around for bad technology. Our brains are evolutionarily hardwired for face-to-face interaction. The “Mirror Neuron System” in our brainswhich allows us to feel empathy by watching othersremains largely dormant during voice-only chats. A 2024 study on “Generation WhatsApp” confirmed that neural synchrony between two brains is significantly weaker during audio-only exchanges compared to face-to-face ones. To feel truly “heard,” we need to see the listener. Behavioral science also tells us that up to 93% of communication is nonverbal. Trust is encoded in micro-expressions: a pupil dilating, a rapid blink, an open posture. A voice assistant transmits 0% of these signals, forcing users to operate on blind faith. Humans still find them very engaging because our brain fills the gaps, imagining faces like when we read a book. Furthermore, according to a 2025 brain scan study, familiar AI voices activate emotional regulation areas, suggesting neural familiarity builds with repeated interaction. The human connection deepens the younger you go (Razers demographic). While older generations largely use AI for productivity, Gen Z frequently reports using advanced voice modes for emotional regulation and companionship. One report noted that 72% of teenagers have engaged with AI companions, with a significant subset treating them as confidants. [Image: Razer] This comes with a dark side too: Since the prefrontal cortex responsible for impulse control and reality testing is not fully mature in teens, the empathy simulated by current voice AIs can feel dangerously real, leading to isolation from human peers or emotional manipulation by the model. But, while voice AIs are powerful user experience, they will never match direct facial interaction. Studies suggest that once the “uncanny valley” is solvedthat eerie feeling of revulsion we get when someone looks almost, but not quite, humanour brains will naturally gravitate toward them. At that point, holographic personas could become a common user experience in businesses and in intimate relationships. Project Ava is not it We are far from that point, though. We will need hyper-realistic AI faces that are algorithmically optimized to look exactly like humans, with every muscle, tick, and imperfection. To avoid the uncanny valley in Project AVA Razer has opted for stylized avatars. There is “Kira,” an anime-style character, “Zane,” a strategic gaming coach, and even a licensed avatar of esports legend “Faker.” The goal is to lean into the parasocial dynamics already common in gaming culture, where digital characters often feel more like friends than software. [Screenshot: Razer] Early hands-on experiences suggest the illusion is fragile. Reviews describe the interaction as “wonky,” with the hologram frequently going on irrelevant tangents. Critics have been quick to label it a “friend in a jar,” questioning whether it fulfills a enuine social need or simply exploits loneliness with a visual gimmick. Its also, and this is important, not a real hologram. These are just 3D animated characters projected in a flat transparent film. Move to the side and your friend will be reduced to 2D invisibility. [Image: Razer] The ethical concerns deepen when you look under the hood. While Razer claims the hardware is model-agnostic, the current iteration is powered by xAIs GrokElon Musks ethically challenged AI model. This instantly tethers the device to the darker side of AI development. Just this week, Grok has been embroiled in a global scandal involving its new “edit” feature, which users have exploited to generate non-consensual sexual imagery at a rate of one image per minute. While Project AVAs avatars are stylized and locked by Razer, the association with an engine currently under investigation by EU and U.K. regulators for facilitating “mass digital undressing” casts a long shadow over the product. There is no guarantee that users won’t find ways to jailbreak AVA to behave in similarly controversial ways, turning a gaming coach into something far more unsavory. Still, its a first step. The market is already betting on this shift. The holographic AI assistant sector is projected to grow from roughly $600 million in 2024 to nearly $4 billion by 2031. We are already seeing successful applications in healthcare, where users rate AI avatars dressed as doctors as more competent than voice-only agents, as well as in customer service kiosks where a digital face helps maintain user attention. AVA is hinting at this future, but it hasn’t solved the fundamental problems yet. To become natural, a holographic AI must be more than a gimmick in a glass. It must be a lot smarter than Grok, and it will need to possess the subtle social cues that signal safety to our nervous system. Until then, AVA will be just a crude toy. [Screenshot: Razer] Im not dismissing it, though. Given our biological imperative, it’s only logical to think that humans will gravitate to holographic manifestations of AI in future UX experiences. But while the holographic AIs are inevitable, Ava doesn’t seem to be it. With luck, it will be remembered as a proto-form of what’s to come. Something truly advanced that, hopefully, will not be powered by the descendants of a techno-fascist AI.
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E-Commerce
Health tech gadgets displayed at the annual CES trade show make a lot of promises. A smart scale promoted a healthier lifestyle by scanning your feet to track your heart health, and an egg-shaped hormone tracker uses AI to help you figure out the best time to conceive.Tech and health experts, however, question the accuracy of products like these and warn of data privacy issues especially as the federal government eases up on regulation.The Food and Drug Administration announced during the show in Las Vegas that it will relax regulations on “low-risk” general wellness products such as heart monitors and wheelchairs. It’s the latest step President Donald Trump’s administration has taken to remove barriers for AI innovation and use. The White House repealed former President Joe Biden’s executive order establishing guardrails around AI, and last month, the Department of Health and Human Services outlined its strategy to expand its use of AI.Booths at the conference showcased new tech designed to help people living in rural areas with their health care needs amid doctor shortages, boost research into women’s health and make life easier for people with disabilities.AI technologies have benefits in the over $4.3 trillion health care industry, according to Marschall Runge, professor of medical science at the University of Michigan. They’re good at analyzing medical imaging and can help streamline doctors’ busy schedules, but they can also promote biases and “hallucinate,” providing incorrect information stated as fact.“I would urge people not to think that the technology is the same as a well-resourced, thoughtful, research-driven medical professional,” said Cindy Cohn, executive director of the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation.Privacy protections like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act do not cover information collected by consumer devices, and the companies could be using the data to train their AI mode ls, or selling it to other businesses, Cohn said.With a lot of the gadgets at CES, it’s difficult to find out where your information is going, Cohn said.“You have to dig down through the fine print to try to figure that out, and I just don’t think that’s fair or right for the people who might rely on it,” she said.But the creators of the products say their innovations fill in health care gaps, and they maintain they protect their customers’ privacy.Sylvia Kang, founder and CEO of Mira, said she created the egg-shaped hormone tracker because many of her friends were trying to conceive and realized they had no knowledge of their hormonal health. To use the “world’s mini hormone lab,” you dip a wand in urine, insert the wand into the monitor and look at the results on the app.Kang said her company uses AI to analyze female hormone data and has one of the world’s biggest hormonal health banks. The data is stored on the cloud and is not shared with anyone, Kang said.“There was no such thing before,” Kang said of her $250 product.Many gadgets at CES focused on women’s health, which has been historically under-researched and underfunded. Before 1993, women were excluded from clinical trials, and there still is little research on areas like menopause.While not every woman will have a baby, all women go through menopause, and “yet we know nothing about it,” said Amy Divaraniya, founder and CEO of the women’s health company Oova, during a session.One gadget called Peri aims to better understand perimenopause the transitional phase before menopause. The wearable device monitors hot flashes and night sweats and provides the data via an app. Improving accessibility to health care Other products at CES were promoted as a way to increase accessibility to health information. The free medicine-focused AI chatbot called 0xmd helps improve access to medical information in areas with doctor shortages and provides a cost-effective alternative, said its founder and architect Allen Au. People can ask the chatbot questions about medicine, upload photos of a mole or rash, and submit their doctors’ notes for an easier-to-understand translation, Au said.“At the end of the day, I don’t think we will replace doctors,” but it can give people a second opinion, Au said.OpenAI announced on Wednesday its launch of ChatGPT Health, a similar platform.Cohn remains skeptical of consumer tech. She said they can help prepare people to ask the right questions of their medical professional, but they’re not going to be a substitute for a doctor.“People need to remember that these are just tools; they’re not oracles who are delivering truths,” she said. Jessica Hill, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
We live in a world of ambient hums, from air conditioners and distant traffic to the whir of our own thoughts. Its no surprise many people reach for active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones to escape it all. Originally designed for planes and offices, ANC devices, including earbuds, have become a popular bedtime tool for chasing total quiet. But the brain doesnt actually want silence to sleep, and forcing it can backfire. The best way to fall and stay asleep is to quiet the mind, not just what enters your ears. We call this creating “cognitive silence, and ANC often gets in the way. Even during sleep, the brain keeps an ear out for danger. Its an evolutionary survival mechanism in which the auditory system monitors the environment for changes: a creak, a bark, or a door slam. When the surrounding world grows too quiet, that alert system can become hypersensitive, scanning for the next disturbance. Research has shown that sudden noises are more likely to fragment sleep. Fragmented sleep affects everything from mood and metabolism to cognitive performance. Even minor disruptions can increase stress hormones and reduce the deep sleep stages responsible for recovery and memory consolidation. For sleep, the goal isnt to eliminate sound entirely, but to give the brain a safe, steady acoustic background so it can rest rather than react. WHERE ANC FALLS SHORT ANC uses tiny microphones to detect external sound and then produces an equal-and-opposite anti-noise signal to cancel it out. It works well for consistent, low-frequency noise like airplane engines, HVAC systems, or the hum of a refrigerator. Thats also where its effectiveness tends to end. Dan Gauger, retired distinguished engineer at Bose, the cocreator of their ANC division, and someone I worked closely with says, At frequencies above where ANC can cancel, it actually amplifies the noise a bit. When it comes to sleep, our needs and our sound environment are far more complex. And thats where ANC can start to work against us. Heres why ANC in sleep technology can be unhealthy: It amplifies what youre trying to avoid: Real-world sound isnt always consistent. A door slam, a barking dog, or footsteps overhead are irregular, high-frequency noises that ANC cant cancel effectively, and these sharper sounds often stand out even more. It disrupts the bodys natural equilibrium: ANC can introduce a subtle but uncomfortable pressure change in the ear. Many users describe it as a plugged or vacuum feeling, especially in quieter settings. That pressure, combined with the unnatural stillness of total quiet, can be distracting enough to delay or fragment sleep. Gauger adds, ANC cant create a steady pressure in the ear, but it mimics the low-frequency drop your ears notice during, say, altitude changes. From experience, some people interpret this sonic change as uncomfortable pressure. It doesn’t address the mental noise: Maybe most importantly, racing thoughts and anticipatory anxiety arent fixed by cancellation. The internal soundtrack remains, making sleep even harder to get. WHY PASSIVE NOISE BLOCKING IS A STRONGER OPTION Passive noise blocking takes a simpler, more natural approach. Instead of electronically canceling sound, it physically reduces it using materials that seal off the ear and absorb or deflect noise before it reaches the eardrum. A well-fitted silicone seal can reduce outside noise by 15-30 decibels, dulling most environmental disruptions without the ear pressure or artificial quiet that ANC can create. Because the ear isnt fighting internal pressure or electronic hiss, the result feels calmer, more organic, and less fatiguing. Pairing that physical protection with gentle, consistent noise masking sound, such as white or pink noise, or relaxing audio from a sleep app, gives the brain a steady, predictable auditory background. White noise contains all audio frequencies at equal intensity, similar to pink noise. Pink noise, however, sounds deeper and less harsh. Studies suggest pink noise may help people fall asleep faster and even enhance deep sleep. This combination of physical protection and consistent soothing audio helps the auditory system stand down, signaling that nothing unexpected is coming and its safe to rest. The benefits extend far beyond your nightly sleep. By improving rest quality, these techniques can directly boost daytime cognitive performance and productivity, areas where sleep deprivation takes a staggering toll. Currently, up to one-quarter of adults struggle with inadequate sleep, resulting in an economic impact of over $411 billion and the loss of 1.23 million working days annually in the U.S. alone. Sleep is the foundation for how we think, perform, and connect. When we chase total silence during sleep with ANC, we risk disrupting the very systems that help the brain recharge. True recovery happens when the mind feels safe, not sealed off. Passive noise blocking and gentle, consistent noise-masking audio support the brains natural rhythms, creating an environment where both body and mind can truly rest. The payoff is deeper sleep, steadier moods, sharper focus, and better performance. N.B. Patil is CEO and CTO of Ozlo.
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E-Commerce
As CES 2026 gets underway, Havas Media Network North America is publishing its 2026 Predictions Forecast, outlining the forces we believe will define the year ahead and separate brands that grow from those that fade. This perspective is drawn directly from that report and grounded in what leaders are seeing, discussing, and debating in Las Vegas this week. CES has always been where the future shows up first. But walking the floors this year, one thing is unmistakable: The industry is no longer dazzled by whats possible. Its demanding proof of what works. As technology accelerates, consumer expectations fragment, and financial scrutiny intensifies, 2026 is shaping up to be a reckoning year for brands. According to Havas Meaningful Brands research, 78% of brands could disappear tomorrow and consumers wouldnt care. Loyalty has become conditional. Attention is scarce. And relevance must be earned daily. CES 2026 isnt about shiny demos. Its about confronting the uncomfortable truths reshaping media, marketing, and how brands create value in peoples lives. The forces below reflect our point of view on the year ahead, based on the expanded Havas Media Network North America 2026 Predictions Forecast. AI MAKES VOLUME EASYSTANDING OUT HAS NEVER BEEN HARDER CES is flooded with AI promises. Personalization at scale. Automated creativity. Infinite content. But when everyone has access to the same tools, the tools stop being the advantage. Social feeds are already saturated with AI-generated sameness, creating a crisis of attention and trust. As Jackie Lyons, chief planning officer at Havas Media Network North America notes in the report, creator-led storytelling will become one of the most critical media effectiveness levers in 2026. Not because it scales fastest, but because it still feels human. Attention is no longer a vanity metric. Its a business currency. Chris Chobanian, SVP at CSA Consulting, Havas Media Network North America, explains that attention will move from a nice-to-have to a metric directly correlated to business outcomes. The strategic shift is clear: Use AI to amplify human creativity, not replace it. Brands that rely on generic automation will blend into the noise. Brands that invest in emotional storytelling and cultural relevance will earn premium attention. DISCOVERY IS BEING REWRITTEN IN REAL TIME One of the loudest conversations at CES this year isnt happening on stage. Its happening inside AI interfaces. Over 60% of Gen Z now uses generative AI to discover products. Conversational AI and agent engines are collapsing discovery into single answers. As Trevor Carr, CEO of Noise Digital and head of CSA shared with Havas Media Network, this isnt a new platform. Its a fundamental change to the internets decision-making layer. For brands, that means traditional click-based strategies are eroding. The winners in 2026 will be those that optimize not just for SEO, but for agent engine optimization, ensuring their brand becomes the answer AI recommends before a click ever happens. CFOS ARE THE NEW GROWTH GATEKEEPERS CES conversations are no longer just happening between CMOs and CTOs. CFOs are firmly in the room. 2026 marketing budgets will be planned like investments, with required returns, not discretionary spend. Finance leaders expect clean attribution, incrementality, and month-to-month accuracy. Plan your marketing budget like an investment, Taimoor Qureshi, managing partner of Finance Media Operations shared with us. Start with business outcomes, not last years spend. Brands that can speak CFO language arent seeing budgets shrink. Theyre seeing budgets protected and expanded. Those that cant will struggle to justify relevance. CULTURE CANT BE RENTEDIT HAS TO BE EARNED CES reflects a broader cultural truth: Mass culture has fractured into thousands of micro-communities. Gaming, fandoms, creators, and sports communities dont respond to one-off activations. They reward consistency, credibility, and commitment. Treat culture like a commitment, not a media plan, says Andrea Isaac, managing partner of Havas Play. Audiences are building identities around passions, rituals, and shared experiences, often guided by creators and platforms rather than institutions. Brands that show up episodically will be ignored. Brands that commit year-round will be welcomed in. THE GROWTH EVERYONE IS OVERLOOKING While much of CES targets youth and novelty, some of the most powerful growth opportunities are hiding in plain sight. Affluent consumers over 50 hold the majority of wealth. The premium pet economy continues to surge. And connected health is rapidly becoming a trillion-dollar market, reshaping daily consumer behavior and expectations. As Ray Romero, managing partner of client experience at Havas Media Network North America notes, connected devices and data-driven platforms are becoming embedded in how people manage everyday decisions. These are not niche opportunities. They are foundational growth engines for 2026 and beyond. WHAT WILL ACTUALLY WORK IN 2026 So what do brands do when they cant outspend competitors and old playbooks stop working? They get clear. They commit deeply. They prove value rigorously. They respect culture. And they never lose sight of the human on the other side of the screen. A CES MOMENT, A 2026 MANDATE The convergence of AI democratization, discovery disruption, financial scrutiny, and cultural fragmentation makes CES 2026 a defining moment, not just a showcase. Most brands will leave Las Vegas inspired, then return to the same habits. The ones that matter will act. The question isnt whether 2026 will be challenging. Its whether your brand is ready to meet it. Greg James is CEO of Havas Media Network North Amerca.
Category:
E-Commerce
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