“Unlocking the Future: How KoBold AI is Revolutionizing VR with a Game-Changing Accessory Worth Millions”

CES, the globe’s largest trade fair, concluded its 2025 installment in Las Vegas. Although AI is set to transform everything, its representation at the exhibit felt more conceptual than practical. This contradiction—AI being everywhere and yet absent—characterized CES 2025. Certainly, there were intelligent devices, predictive algorithms, and customized assistants dispersed throughout the event, but few appeared revolutionary. It’s evident that we are in the nascent stages of consumer AI, where promotion surpasses practical application. If you’re seeking a dose of CES excitement CNet’s Fascinating CES Gadgets, The Verge’s final day wrap up, ZDNet’s top smart glasses, and Gadgets you’ve got to see from Tom’s Guide are perfect for you. They evidently discovered plenty to appreciate where I noticed only uniformity.

Infinite Reality Raises $3B; Moves Valuation to $12.25 B. Infinite Reality (iR), an all-encompassing organization concentrating on AI and immersive technologies, has garnered a $350 million equity infusion from a private multi-family office oriented toward international technology, media, and real estate, valuing the company at $5.1 billion. This investment comes on the heels of iR’s $450 million procurement of Landvault, a technology firm focused on immersive technology and digital replicas for Fortune 500 enterprises and governmental bodies. iR had previously secured The Drone Racing League for $250 M.

AI-powered mineral exploration company KoBold Metals raises $527M. The startup based in Berkeley, CA, specializes in AI-enhanced mineral exploration. KoBold utilizes generative AI and machine learning to examine past geophysical data, pinpointing neglected deposits of essential metals like copper, lithium, nickel, and cobalt, crucial for battery and renewable energy technologies. The $527 million in a Series C funding round was co-led by T. Rowe Price and Durable Capital Partners, with contributions from Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz.

Roto VR May Be The Quester’s Must-Have Accessory. Outfitted with a motorized base and full-body haptics, Roto VR aims to tackle common VR issues like motion sickness and restricted physical space. Developed in collaboration with Meta, the chair is compatible with Meta Quest headsets and is available for pre-order at $799, with deliveries anticipated to commence in October 2025.

Engadget’s Jessica Conditt was delighted when it didn’t make her feel nauseous.

Cinematic AI

This column is also the foundation of the AI/XR podcast hosted by its writer, Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, a former studio executive and Red Camera co-founder, along with Rony Abovitz, founder of Magic Leap. This week we feature Dean Takahashi, lead writer for VentureBeat and GamesBeat. We can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.

What We’re Reading

The Most Unusual Tech at CES 2025 (Jennifer Cohen/The Verge)

Why context-sensitive AI agents will empower us in 2025 (Louis Rosenberg/VentureBeat)