AI is a hot topic among the tech community and around the world. Some fear a “Skynet” type doomsday while others embrace the possible bright future of AI and how it could help us. Some of the best examples of current AI exists within our everyday items such as our smartphones (i.e. Google assistant, Gemini, Siri,etc), ChapGPT, CoPilot, and more everyday. They’ve come a long way and continue to grow. As with any new technology though, there are speed bumps and cautionary tales that could hinder the forward progress of AI. The new trend of current AI devices seems to be a solution in search of a problem. Why do we need such devices? Are we in need of replacing our smartphones?
Devices like the recently released Human AI Pin and Rabbit R1 seem to pose more questions than answers. The fever dream of these new AI devices is many. They can automate tasks, answer questions, and control smart home devices, making our lives easier and more efficient. They can learn our preferences and habits, providing a more personalized user experience. They can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up our time and energy for other things. They can analyze data and identify patterns that we might miss, helping us make better decisions. They can also help keep us safe and healthy. Or can they do these things?
The Rabbit R1 and Humane Ai Pin face challenges in gaining mainstream adoption. They are shipped half-baked and with limited functionality. Both devices attempt to replace smartphones, which people are already accustomed to using for a variety of tasks. They lack the versatility of smartphones and don’t offer a significant advantage in functionality. The technology and software behind these devices is immature. Early reviews point out shortcomings in both devices, such as limitations in touch input and battery life. The AI features also seem to be in early stages of development, with issues like latency and inaccurate information retrieval.
As an owner of the Rabbit R1, I can attest that many of the short comings listed in early reviews do ring true! Another big obstacle to mainstream adoption is that these devices focus on replacing existing devices. Instead of offering a new way to interact with technology, these devices try to replace what users already have.
A more successful approach might be to integrate with existing devices to enhance their capabilities. No matter how you look at it, the current hardware being shipped by these companies is half-baked, under-achieving and not ready for primetime. It seems like an attempt to be first in a race that will ultimately be decided by bigger companies like Google or Apple. In all reality, the current crop of hardware being pushed can do little of what they promise and a lot less of what current smart assistants on our phone can currently do and integrate with.
While these current devices might seem like a bad investment, from a technology aspect, its proof of concept and helps the field grow. Just make sure you do your due diligence before throwing down your hard-earned money to purchase one
*Written by Jason aka @2NATech. Don’t forget to check out Jason on the Tech Disruptors Podcast: www.youtube.com/@techdisruptors2024/
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