Lenovo Doubles Down on Sphere as Panasonic and Sony Exit CES 2027

By Priya Raman

Lenovo will hold its second consecutive keynote at Sphere in Las Vegas during CES 2027, while Panasonic and Sony — two of the show's longest-running exhibitors — have confirmed they will skip the event entirely. The contrast defines the 60th edition of the Consumer Electronics Show, now less than three months away: a show once built on convention center booths has become a citywide experience, with restaurant takeovers, pavilions, suite experiences and stadium activations.

Here is what the announcements change for experiential marketers.

Why does Sphere keep pulling keynoters?

Lenovo Tech World @ CES 2027 returns to the venue following HP, Delta, and Lenovo's own first keynote there in 2026. The event is themed around "Hybrid AI" and promises a "fully immersive event" that will use the venue's atrium to showcase Lenovo's AI ecosystem, alongside what the company calls the "next generation of ideas and entrepreneurs shaping the future of AI and technology."

What does this change for brands? Sphere has moved from novelty to anchor venue for the largest CES budgets. Two consecutive Lenovo bookings signal that the format works well enough to repeat, and that the venue's atrium now functions as programmable brand real estate rather than an entrance hall.

What do the Panasonic and Sony exits signal?

Panasonic, a CES exhibitor since the show's 1967 debut, is skipping 2027 as it "shifts its communication channels," according to reports. Its exhibit last year already showed a pared-down look for the brand. Panasonic has not ruled out showcases or displays through partner booths.

Sony is also out. The company had no booth of its own at CES 2026, showing only a prototype of the Afeela EV it was building with Honda on the show floor. A couple of months later, Sony Honda Mobility scrapped the EV project, and the two companies said they would review the direction of their joint venture, according to Nikkei Asia, which first reported the news.

For many years, Sony occupied a dominant space within Central Hall. That coveted real estate is now open for 2027, and whoever claims it will inherit one of the most valuable footprints on the show floor.

The practical read for exhibitors: absence from the floor does not mean absence from the show. Panasonic's partner-booth option suggests a lower-cost presence model that mid-size brands may copy.

What is the new Art Tech award category?

The Consumer Technology Association has added a category called Art Tech to the CES Innovation Awards, in partnership with Christie's.

"Developed in collaboration with Christie's, the category highlights how emerging technologies are reshaping the art ecosystem while preserving its human core," according to the CTA. "Christie's will also help curate a panel of expert judges for the category, drawing on its deep expertise and global network across the art market."

Eligible entries fall into two spaces:

• Creative tools: technologies that expand how artists create, including GenAI, algorithmic engines and virtual reality environments.
• Audience engagement: innovations that transform how audiences experience art, such as augmented and virtual reality, projection mapping and immersive installations.

For agencies working in immersive installations and projection mapping, the category offers a first formal entry point into CES recognition, judged in part by art-market experts rather than technology reviewers.

The so-what

A Sphere keynote arms race, two legacy no-shows, and a Christie's-backed award category all point in one direction: experiential now drives CES programming decisions across keynotes, floor strategy and awards — and 2027 will show whether the show's most valuable floor space follows the same logic.