The AdS/CFT correspondence permits the study of bulk duals to free CFTs with gauge symmetries, such as U(N) with large N. In free models CFT correlators are explicitly known. Thermal observables reveal a black hole-like character of massive bulk objects, indicating that classical spacetime emerges by assuming large N in free theories, while strong coupling of the boundary theory is mainly significant quantitatively. I review the origins and the evidence for the above assertions, with future developments in mind. In general, it is important to consider finite but large N to capture non-perturbative gravity effects.