ET Explains: Meet Rabbit R1, an AI-powered assistant to manage your apps
Why was everyone at CES 2024 talking about the Rabbit R1 AI assistant?
This pocket-sized, AI-powered retro assistant, priced $200, sold out its initial batch of 10,000 units in a day after its launch at the tech show in Las Vegas. The handheld device is meant to manage your smartphone apps for you with the use of a large action model, an AI model that navigates app interfaces to perform tasks. It responds to voice commands and is capable of activities like booking rides, managing household tasks, and answering queries. Here’s an ET Explainer by Subhrojit Mallick on what the hype around Rabbit R1 all about.
Who is Rabbit?
Rabbit Inc, the maker of this AI-powered gadget, is a Santa Monica-based startup founded by CEO Jesse Lyu and CTO Andrew Ng, cofounder of Google Brain and one of the pioneers of research on machine learning and artificial intelligence.
It came into existence in 2022, amid the generative AI boom, and Rabbit R1 is their first flagship product which works on the company’s proprietary Rabbit OS infused with a next-generation AI model.
What is Rabbit R1?
The Rabbit R1 is a pocket-sized AI device that promises a simpler and more intuitive way to interact with technology. Instead of being app-driven, the device relies on an AI model called LAMB (large action model) to understand your instructions and complete tasks autonomously.
The device has a bright orange body, and is small and lightweight with a touchscreen, scroll wheel, and a talk button. There is also a rotating camera that functions as eyes of the device.
The Rabbit R1 runs on its own operating system, called the Rabbit OS, that eliminates the need for app stores and downloads, requiring only natural language voice input to navigate. The initial
