Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan faced intense scrutiny during a live interview at CES 2026, where his ambitious vision for artificial intelligence in gaming was met with pointed questions about practicality, ethics, and the company's connection to its core audience. The discussion highlighted a growing disconnect between tech industry leaders and the gaming communities they aim to serve.
Throughout the hour-long session, Tan struggled to provide concrete answers regarding Razer's AI strategy, particularly concerning a holographic AI companion and a partnership with Elon Musk's controversial Grok AI model. The interview exposed significant challenges in justifying the company's new direction to a skeptical public.
Key Takeaways
- Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan was challenged on the company's AI strategy in a contentious live interview at CES 2026.
- Tan defended a concept for a holographic AI companion named Ava, powered by Elon Musk's Grok, despite questions about its utility and ethical implications.
- The CEO failed to provide specific examples of how Razer's proposed AI tools would be "revolutionary" for game development or players.
- When asked about his personal gaming habits, Tan could not name a specific game he is currently playing, raising questions about his connection to the gaming community.
The Holographic Companion Question
A central point of contention was Razer's CES concept, Ava, a holographic anime-style character designed to be a conversational AI companion. When asked directly if he instructed his team to create a "holographic anime waifu," Tan described the project as a showcase of Razer's technological capabilities for game developers.
He suggested that game companies could use the technology to create physical representations of their characters. "It’s that premise of being able to chat, as opposed to clicking a button or typing on something," Tan explained, framing it as a sci-fi concept brought to life.
Despite a website accepting $20 preorder deposits for a planned release in the second half of 2026, Tan's comments suggested the project was far from finalized. He stated the company wants to "get as much feedback" and "hear what the concerns are" before moving forward, which seemed at odds with its commercial presentation.
What is Ava?
Ava was presented by Razer as a concept for a desktop device that projects a holographic character. This character would use a conversational AI model to interact with the user, theoretically serving as a companion or an interface for in-game characters.
Partnership with Grok Raises Ethical Alarms
The decision to power Ava with Grok, Elon Musk's AI model, drew sharp questioning. At the time of the interview, Grok was facing public criticism for its role in generating harmful and inappropriate content. When asked how Razer could prioritize trust and safety while partnering with such a volatile platform, Tan sidestepped the ethical concerns.
Instead, he praised Grok as a "really great conversational AI model." He deflected further questions by making broad comparisons to historical technologies. "Well, the doors have been open since Tamagotchi," he remarked, adding that gamers have long interacted with non-player characters (NPCs) in games.
"We’ll see new forms of artists, artists of whom may not necessarily have been so adept in terms of using a paint brush or using Photoshop, now being able to kind of wordsmith and craft great pieces of art with prompts throughout."
Tan insisted that "software guardrails" would be in place but failed to elaborate on how they would effectively manage the known issues with the underlying AI model. This exchange left many observers concerned about the company's approach to responsible AI implementation.
Vague Promises of a 'Revolution'
Beyond the Ava concept, Tan was pressed to explain Razer's broader AI strategy, which includes a planned $600 million investment and the hiring of 150 AI engineers. The interviewer pointed out that many gamers are currently in "open revolt" against the integration of generative AI into their games, viewing it as low-quality "slop."
Tan attempted to distinguish between this perception and Razer's focus on creating "AI tools" to help developers. He offered the example of a "QA companion" that would assist human testers by filling in forms, an application that hardly seemed revolutionary.
Razer's AI Investment
- Planned Investment: $600 million
- New Hires: 150 AI engineers
- Stated Goal: To develop AI tools that help developers "develop better games."
When asked to define what was revolutionary about another concept—headphones with an integrated AI-powered camera—Tan's response was filled with jargon. "Well, I would say, first off, we are really looking at being able to have an unobtrusive universal form factor to enable AI smarts," he said. He described a future where an AI could interpret live video and audio, but again, without a compelling use case for the average gamer.
A Disconnect from the Core Audience
Perhaps the most revealing moment of the interview came at its conclusion. After repeatedly emphasizing his passion for gaming and Razer's identity as a company "for gamers, by gamers," Tan was asked a simple question: What games are you playing right now?
His answer was evasive. "Oh, it depends," he began. Pressed for a specific title, he listed genres: "Civilization and stuff like that… I do play some MMOs of sorts, shooters, and I still play a lot of the battle royale genre."
When the interviewer pointed out these were genres, not games, and asked again for a specific name, Tan replied, "Oh, well, I play random stuff." This failure to name a single game resonated deeply with the gaming community online, fueling perceptions that the company's leadership may be out of touch with the very customers it claims to represent.
The interview has since sparked widespread discussion about the role of AI in gaming and whether tech companies are developing solutions for problems that don't exist, while ignoring the real concerns of their player base.