Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu has hinted the company’s second device could be released next year.
- The company is experimenting with a “three-in-one” form factor.
- It’s unclear how this new device will differ from last year’s Rabbit R1.
The AI frenzy we’re currently living through will be remembered for a lot of things: the explosion of data centers and attendant rise in electricity prices; generative slop flooding social media; and executives bragging about paying fewer workers, to name a few. Possibly the most tangible pop culture artifact of this AI era, though, is the standalone AI gadget.
Devices like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1, both released last year, were designed to connect us directly to AI-powered services without graphical user interfaces getting in the way. These first-gen AI baubles were nearly universally panned — but evidently, Rabbit is ready to give it another try as early as next year.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority?
In an interview with Tom’s Guide, when asked about a second-generation standalone AI gadget from Rabbit, CEO Jesse Lyu said the company has “a couple of the prototypes exploring different form factors,” adding that “2026 is gonna be interesting because OpenAI will join the competition,” referring to the AI giant’s in-development hardware that’s reportedly planned for release in late 2026 or early 2027.
Lyu didn’t go into much detail, but did mention that Rabbit has its eye on a “three-in-one” form factor more than once. The CEO said he thinks smartphones will be truly “agentic” within the next 18 months, which gives Rabbit “a good amount of time that we can at least do one generation of device.”
The Rabbit R1 was released in early 2024. Conceptually, it was an interesting device. Controlled primarily by voice with a touchscreen and camera for additional input, it offered access to AI-powered features over a Wi-Fi or LTE signal in a cheap-and-cheerful $199 package. In practice, though, the R1 wasn’t capable or reliable enough to leave your smartphone at home — and considering phones can do everything the R1 can and then some, carrying both wasn’t a very appealing proposition.
Lyu acknowledged this dynamic in the context of Rabbit’s next device, telling Tom’s Guide that “No one wants to carry two devices.” He didn’t say how (or even if) Rabbit’s second AI device might make it possible to ditch your smartphone, however.
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.
