Rabbit R1

Hands on: So far, this thing seems like it’s trying to be less like a smartphone killer and more like the beginnings of a useful companion. That’s probably as ambitious as it makes sense to be right now — though Lyu and the Rabbit folks have a lot of big promises to eventually live up to and not a lot of time to do so.

Hands on: Rabbit's mission here is to create this all-in-one AI device. Yes, it can do what Google Lens can do, but it can also do what Spotify, ChatGPT, DoorDash, and Uber can do in one device — and with nothing but your voice.

Hands on: Hopefully, Lyu and his team are able to deliver on the promises they’ve made. I’m already very intrigued by a “teach mode” he teased, which is basically a way to generate macros by recording an action on the R1, and letting it learn what you want to do when you tell it something. Rabbit’s approach certainly seems more tailored to tinkerers and enthusiasts, whereas Humane’s is ambitious and yet closed off.

The Rabbit R1 is a pocketable AI device – like holding ChatGPT in your palm. Is it cool? Yes. Is the AI super smart? Certainly (sorry, Siri). Does it have first-gen issues you need to know about? You bet. It feels like I’m beta-testing limited features at launch, with many more complex AI ideas still to come.

Hands on: Time will tell how the Rabbit holds up for general testing, as it comes at a time when other AI assistant products -- such as the Humane AI pin -- have had a hard time convincing consumers that they have a purpose beyond being a novelty tech gadget.

Hands on: The Rabbit R1 is part of a new wave of AI gadgets that started to emerge this year following the success of chatbots like ChatGPT. Unlike the software that powers your smartphone, the R1 runs on an operating system fueled by what the company calls a "large action model," a nod to the large language models of text-based AIs.