CES 2025, the world’s biggest tech showcase, once again took over Las Vegas, bringing together the brightest minds and the latest innovations in AI, connectivity, and consumer technology. From game-changing advancements to questionable uses of AI (yes, even candy floss machines got the AI treatment), the event was a melting pot of ideas, hype, and truly groundbreaking solutions.

This year Jake Barr, Tom Harmsworth & Damien Weber attended. For WeMaintain, CES wasn’t just about technology—it was about understanding the American market, particularly in facilities management and smart buildings. Our mission? To gauge what asset managers really need and demonstrate how Maximize, our predictive maintenance solution, is transforming the built environment.

Let’s dive into the hottest trends from CES 2025, where AI and connectivity took centre stage, and explore why predictive maintenance remains an unmet need in the US market.

AI at CES 2025: Groundbreaking or Just a Buzzword?

The AI Overload

Artificial intelligence dominated CES 2025, with companies big and small eager to attach "AI-powered" to just about anything. Some innovations were truly impressive—such as Nvidia’s latest AI breakthroughs and an AI-controlled wheelchair that moves based on the user’s thoughts.

On the flip side, many companies seemed to be jumping on the AI bandwagon for the sake of it. From AI-enhanced candy floss machines to voice-controlled toothbrushes, the event highlighted a growing divide between meaningful AI applications and gimmicky tech.

The key takeaway? AI isn’t a magic wand—it’s a tool. Companies that genuinely integrate AI into their core functionality stand out, while those using it as a marketing ploy are quickly exposed.

AI in Smart Buildings

When it comes to smart buildings, AI plays a vital role in efficiency, automation, energy benchmarking and security. However, the event revealed a gap between AI’s potential and its real-world implementation.

• Many exhibitors talked about condition-based and predictive maintenance, but very few had working solutions.
• The market seems focused on real-time data collection, but without a clear strategy for what comes next.
• WeMaintain’s Maximize stood out because it doesn’t just monitor—it predicts and prevents issues before they occur.

Connectivity: The Word of the Event

The Race for Real-Time Data

If CES 2025 had a buzzword other than AI, it was connectivity. With the explosion of 5G, edge computing, and IoT, companies are racing to enable real-time monitoring and decision-making.

The smart buildings sector was no exception—everywhere we turned, someone was selling a connectivity solution or asking how WeMaintain’s devices integrate with existing networks.

A Connectivity Wild West

Despite all the talk, it became clear that connectivity in facilities management is still a minefield.

• Many solutions on display relied on patchy networks and unclear integration strategies.

• Some exhibitors kept their messaging intentionally vague, making it difficult to distinguish between real solutions and empty promises.

• WeMaintain’s approach—using mobile networks and integrated PCB for IoT connectivity—was ahead of the curve and well-received.

• The key challenge? Turning connectivity into actionable insights. Simply gathering data isn’t enough—you need to interpret it and use it to drive efficiency, sustainability, and cost savings.

Predictive Maintenance: The Missing Piece in the US Market

The Hype vs Reality

Predictive maintenance was a hot topic at CES 2025, but despite all the talk, there was a glaring issue—very few companies actually had functional predictive maintenance solutions.

From our conversations (often not with exhibitors, but with industry professionals), it was clear that:

• Most solutions focused on real-time data collection, but stopped short of offering true predictive capabilities.

• On/off monitoring and condition-based maintenance were the norm, rather than advanced AI-driven prediction.

• The US market is crying out for a real predictive maintenance solution, but many companies are still catching up.

Why Maximize Stood Out

Unlike many exhibitors, WeMaintain’s Maximize solution isn’t just about collecting data—it’s about using AI and IoT to predict failures before they happen.

• AI-powered predictive analytics help asset managers stay ahead of maintenance issues and predict faults prior to them resulting in downtime.

• Having feedback from mechanics on the ground validating the data provided from Maximize means we can get more accurate with our predictions. There was nothing else that can provide this closed loop.

From the questions we were asked to the interest in our solution, CES 2025 reaffirmed that Maximize is a game-changer in the US market.

Final Thoughts: CES 2025 & The Future of Smart Building Tech

CES 2025 proved one thing—the future of smart buildings depends on meaningful AI and reliable connectivity. While flashy tech demos are entertaining, the real winners are the companies solving real-world problems.

At WeMaintain, we’re not just following trends—we’re leading the way. With Maximize, we’re bringing true predictive maintenance to lifts and escalators. Interested to see how AI and Connectivity can benefit the way you manage your facilities? Reach out to us here.