New to CES for 2026, The Foundry at Fountainebleau was created to showcase artificial intelligence and quantum innovation where experts in the field united to shape ideas and discuss what is on the horizon. Tiffany Moore, SVP, political and industry affairs, CTA, opened the inaugural two-day showcase with an insightful panel with Jennifer Koester, president and COO, Sphere; Cris Turner, VP of knowledge and information products, Google, and, as a surprise, RZA from Wu Tang Clan, to take a deep dive into how advanced AI tools unlock new workflows, prototype ideas, and deliver new creative possibilities.
[SCN from the Inside: Stories from the Vegas Sphere]
Koester and Turner began the panel by discussing how Google and Sphere worked together to unlock new opportunities in bringing Wizard of Oz to life on the massive display inside Las Vegas’ renowned orb. While Koester said there were many “a-ha” moments along the way, one stood out to Turne. It came outside the creative world when he saw a mayor train AI to know the city code, allowing employees to ask AI about code, permits, and other people they needed to know about. Did this unlock creativity? No, he explained, but what he saw was how AI could make a practical impact—how you can enhance and make things better with a very intentional output.
RZA has been using AI for quite some time; however, it did not have the power it does today. For RZA and Wu Tang Clan, AI came in the form of sampling music. Now, he sees AI as one of the strongest assistants you can have in a creativity toolkit. He explained that he doesn’t think of the A in AI as artificial, but assistive, having the ability to amplify that creativity.
He also pointed out that the A could stand for acceleration. “What is most important for creativity is time,” he said. “With today’s technology, and AI assisting me, I can take three days and make it three hours.”
Turner chimed in that AI gives creatives the ability to fail quickly, adding to the concept of accelerated intelligence. You don’t lose months if you don’t like a take, he explained. Koester made it very clear that, even in a massive production like Wizard of Oz, it important to exercise caution. The creative process must still exist; AI needs to be used as a tool, not the creativity, or content creators won’t be successful.
Turner agreed. “I can buy Tiger Woods golf clubs, but I am still not Tiger Woods,” he added. But using AI as a tool can unlock creative possibilities like never before. Play with it intentionally, he concluded. Try and accelerate and affect the challenge, but most importantly, dust off that concept you had 10 years ago. What was impossible for you as a creative then is now possible.
