One of the most promising gadgets shining at the ongoing CES 2024 is Rabbit R1, a squarish small device that uses “AI agents” to carry out tasks without you having to go through a million apps on the phone. Looking more like a ’90s-era handheld gaming device, the R1 has a push-to-talk button which instigates a series of automated scripts called “rabbits” to carry out tasks.
Coming with a 2.88-inch touchscreen, a rotating camera for taking photos and videos, and a scroll wheel/ button to navigate around or talk to the device’s built-in assistant, the R1 is powered by a 2.3GHz MediaTek processor, 4GB of memory, and 128GB of storage inside a body that has been designed with the popular firm Teenage Engineering.
The machine is coming at a time when the Humane AI Pin as well as Meta and Rayban smart-glasses, with an AI-powered assistant, are making the right amount of noise, pointing to a future where there are alternatives to a smartphone.
Rabbit R1 uses an AI system called a “large action model” (LAM), which is different from a large language model, the technology that tools like ChatGPT are based on. LAM is trained on graphical user interfaces like websites and apps, making it capable of navigating interfaces designed for humans. The device is not for watching movies or playing games; it’s for getting work done. It’s like focussing on the smart assistant of your phone. To call an Uber, press and hold the push-to-talk button and say, “Get me an Uber to the London Bridge”. In a few seconds, there will be display cards on the screen showing your fare and other details. Similarly, you can book an airline ticket or make a restaurant reservation.
The feature many are excited about is an experimental “teach mode”, which will arrive through an update at a later date. Point R1’s camera at your desktop screen or phone and perform a task that you want R1 to learn. Voila!