Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has been the face of the tech world. The technology erupted when OpenAI took over the internet in 2022 with no other than ChatGPT, the most popular chatbot on the planet.
Despite the revolutionary hardware impact, the GenAI gadget hardware industry has been found wanting and has left this holiday season shoppers with fewer options. Here is the analysis of the current landscape and some early adopters might want to consider.
Challenges Facing Current GenAI Hardware
Innovative Lags Behind
While startups and tech giants have heavily invested in developing AI tools, delivering hardware that fully integrates GenAI has proven challenging. As CNBC reports, the CES 2024 showed some promising devices that made the headlines—Humane's AI pin and Rabbit's r1 but such products failed because of slow processing and reliability issues.
Technical Challenges
The primary stumbling block is the advanced silicon chip that supports GenAI tasking. Most GenAI devices cannot even reach levels of performance seen in smartphones and are not accepted by their consumers.
Expensive and Hard to Use
Many GenAI devices are expensive and have yet to clearly articulate what benefits they give to the user. The machines often demand to have their internet on, adding usability issues where networks are still poor.
Top Generative AI Devices You Can Try in 2024
Despite all the obstacles, a few companies have just launched devices that contain GenAI functionalities. Here are three notable options to choose from:
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Meta's second-gen smart glasses offer more than just style. With integrated AI, these glasses allow users to capture photos, listen to music, and even receive real-time assistance with the Meta AI digital assistant.
Another impressive feature is the analysis of surroundings and providing information, such as recommending recipes when grocery shopping. Price: Starting at $239.20 (on sale through Dec. 2).
Rabbit r1
The Rabbit r1 is an extremely compact, colorful device sporting GenAI-powered features: voice memos, task management, and recalling past conversations.
Despite its early criticism concerning performance glitches, Rabbit issued several updates to improve functionality. Cost: $200, or free shipping with $15 knocked off if purchased by Dec 4.
Bee by Bee AI
The Bee looks like a smartwatch and serves as a personal assistant by summarizing voice memos, creating to-do lists, and syncing with health tools and Gmail accounts.
Basic features come free, but premium features cost $15 per month. To celebrate Black Friday, the company is offering three months of free service. Its price sits at $49.99 with premium add-ons.
What's Coming in the Future?
Experts expect GenAI hardware to be very limited until at least 2025, after which improvements in chips and device functionality should expand the list of possibilities.
For now, while GenAI is only an emerging hobby, devices do offer a taste of what will eventually be possible with gadgets that use AI.
Safe Practices for Buying AI Gadgets
- Look through reviews for customer insight into functionality and reliability.
- Review what data the device accesses and restrict permissions where necessary.
- Ensure your devices have the latest software to maximize security and performance.
While the GenAI revolution has yet to hit its full stride, early adopters can explore these emerging technologies to experience the future firsthand.
