Rabbit R1 And Humane AI Pin.
The first generation AI hardware is out. Well, at least two of them – Rabbit R1 and Humane AI pin have actually made it to the hands of the customers. And, while they were hyped as smartphone replacements or killers, the initial verdict reflects rather badly on these devices. The headline is – barely reviewable – or, useable but the underlined message is that both these products seem rushed and probably made it to the market earlier than they should have.
They are buggy, don’t respond at times, are missing some features that were promised earlier and in case of Rabbit R1, there are arguments that it could have simply been an Android app. So, is this the end of AI hardware? Have we seen enough of what we had to see? Probably, not.
Unfulfilled Promises
Some of these arguments do have a lot of merit to them. For example – yes, the tech companies shouldn’t launch half-baked products. That’s absolutely non-negotiable. Similarly, it makes sense why lot of people believe that R1 should just be an app. Most traditional devices have transformed into phone apps over the years — calculator, audio players, and even camera!
But, if I have to buy that argument there are more ifs and buts involved. If you can print polaroid photos from your phone, why do you need an instant camera! If you can see time on your phone, why do you need a smartwatch. If you already have a smartwatch for fitness tracking, why do you need a smart ring! If you can play games on your PC, why do you need a console! These are never ending arguments. The fact is – innovation is cool and we need specific devices for specific use cases.
This, brings me back to our AI devices – Rabbit R1 and Humane AI pin. Most people are angry at these devices because companies behind them made really big promises while showcasing them but the actual device is far from that.
Now, I am yet to get my hands on the Rabbit R1 but I got a closer look at the Humane AI pin at the Mobile World Congress this year and some of the things it could do were really impressive. Yes, it’s still more of a companion device than a proper phone replacement but AI has certainly enabled companies to experiment with the form factor and bring something new to the table.
And, we have some more AI-powered devices from like the Limitless Pendant and Open Interpreter’s 01 Light coming.
Where Do We Go From Here?
First of all, everybody needs to slow down. Yes, there is a lot of interest in AI and a lot has already been said about how it will change in the world. Etc. Etc. But, all of this is only possible if these ideas are executed properly. Every company working on AI hardware from now on needs to make sure that their product is completely ready fully capable before it makes it to the customers.
I am sure the existing devices will improve. The new AI-devices will be better and while some of them might actually transform into apps, others will still have a future as the standalone devices.
