LAS VEGAS — Every year, tens of thousands of people flock to Las Vegas to see the latest innovations at CES, an enormous consumer technology exhibition.

This year, the show drew more than 4,500 exhibitors, from car companies like Mercedes-Benz to computer giants like HP. Most offered demonstrations and hands-on experiences of cutting-edge tech still under development.

Tech giants like Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and smaller upstarts have long been pushing virtual reality headsets. Companies pitch the devices — which typically feature large plastic goggles — as the future of everything from gaming to office work. But the technology has been adopted in fits and starts.

The technology was front and center this month at CES, as attendees tried out the latest in immersive gaming.

At one booth, people lined up to try a game about fighting monsters. VR headsets and haptic seats, which re-create the feeling of motion and touch, blended the video game with the experience of an amusement-park ride.

The trade show’s keynote highlights major tech trends.

This year, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang pitched a jam-packed audience on the power of artificial intelligence. Nvidia, an AI chipmaker, has become one of the most valuable companies in the world, worth more than $3 trillion.

Huang demonstrated the high-tech chips’ capabilities in gaming, robotics and autonomous vehicles, displaying AI-generated images on a giant screen behind him.

For those who wanted to see how the AI sausage was made, there were close-up peeks at the chips and servers powering the technology. Other exhibitors zoomed out, offering demos of experimental AI-powered autonomous vehicle features.

Hyundai Mobis, a car parts manufacturer, demonstrated technology called M.Brain, which used a sensor to monitor drivers and warn them if they became distracted. The technology tracks brain waves, trying to detect stress and attention levels.

Aptera, a vehicle maker from California, showcased its solar-powered car.

Attendees seeking an opportunity to sit inside and check out the driver console waited at an outdoor plaza where the futuristic car was soaking up the sun. At least one of the vehicles made it onto the road for a test drive.

Robots had a huge presence at the show. Some were aimed at finding a place in the home.

A Tokyo startup, Yukai Engineering, showed off a cat-shaped robot that perched on the edge of a cup or a plate to blow air and cool off food or drinks.

Ti5 Robot, a company that makes industrial robots and parts for humanoid robots, displayed a new robotic hand at its booth, one of several on display at CES. Ti5’s version had rubber fingertips for extra grip.

At one booth, a small crowd formed around an orange robot with a foxlike face made by Enchanted Tools that was designed as a greeter for use in hospitals and other medical settings.

One human replacement on display was a holographic customer service agent made by Holoconnects, a hologram company from the Netherlands. Its holographic agents are designed to offer directions or chat with shoppers in retail settings.