Just a few years ago, holographic companions belonged exclusively to the world of sci-fi films such as Blade Runner. Now, however, it seems that technology is catching up with the human imagination faster than one might expect. Proof of this is Project AVA from technology company Razer. This holographic assistant in a “glass jar” will chat with you, offer advice, and can respond to the world around it.
An assistant for gaming, work, and personal life
Project AVA was unveiled at the Consumer Electronic Show 2026. This approximately 14 cm tall 3D holographic assistant from Razer (a technology company focused on gaming) is designed to become a virtual partner for gaming, everyday life, and work.
According to Business Insider, the company’s CEO, Min-Liang Tan, said that Project AVA is intended primarily to be a companion for better daily schedule planning, encouragement, translation, brainstorming, document creation, setting goals and monitoring their completion, or advising on gaming strategies. In short, the goal of this project is not only to make users’ everyday routine tasks easier, but also to make AI more personal.
Several personalities and detailed awareness of the surrounding world
While conventional AI assistants take the form of a chat interface, Project AVA also gives artificial intelligence a physical form. You can personalize it yourself by choosing one of five avatars to have in your “jar.” Each of them has a different personality and way of speaking.
The avatars all use facial expressions, eye and lip movements, and engage in interactions naturally. Their persuasiveness and responsiveness are due not only to artificial intelligence, but also to an HD camera and microphone, which allow them to perceive the context of interactions, track your habits, and learn your routine.
Project AVA runs on an AI model from xAI. However, Razer also plans to add other popular language models.
PC Vision Mode for better gaming results
You can also connect your 3D AI assistant to your gaming computer using a USB-C cable. Thanks to this PC Vision Mode, Project AVA can see exactly what is on the screen and provide you with information about the game and its mechanics, advise you on how to improve your strategy, praise you for performing well, or coach you directly. However, it never actively participates in the game or directly influences its course. It therefore does not provide direct assistance in the game, but merely offers a way to receive personalized AI coaching.
Enthusiasm gives way to skepticism
The 3D digital assistant is not just a smart speaker that tells you what the weather is like outside. It is a fully fledged companion that is available to you 24/7 and changes the way we interact with AI. However, this is precisely what is raising concerns as well as enthusiasm.
Users on Reddit are already discussing not only the assistant’s unusual anime design, but above all the issue of privacy. Although monitoring the home using a camera and microphone enables the assistant to respond quickly and connect more closely with the user, questions are arising about exactly how the data will be protected. Especially since it is not yet known which language models the assistant will run on. According to both experts and ordinary users, data protection is absolutely crucial in this case.
Reservations available for just $20
Project AVA is expected to be available in 2026, although it is not yet certain in what form or exactly when it will actually reach users. However, Razer is already allowing customers to reserve it for $20, which will subsequently be deducted from the final price. For now, however, that price remains unknown.
