Holographic AI is going to happen. But this bizarre ‘friend in a jar’ is not it

Humans want to personify AI. Razer’s new ‘holographic’ companion is a crude step toward that future. 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 demand—all powered by xAI’s Grok.