Today in AI

• News roundup

• Today’s big story

• AI research changing the world

• Tool spotlight

• This week on the podcast

News roundup

The top stories in AI today.

NEW LAUNCHES

The latest features, products & partnerships in AI

• Google Earth unveils time travel feature as Maps gets major overhaul

• Honeywell and Qualcomm join forces to create AI-powered mobile assistant

• How Intuit is using agentic AI to automate complex business tasks

• Google Cloud gives Contact Center AI a new name and AI makeover

• Kai is a new AI that will help you manage your team’s iPhones

• Google Photos may soon narrate memories with Gemini AI

FUTURE OF WORK

Jobs are changing — are you?

• How agency CEOs really use AI at work

• Major film studios partnering with AI startups will change movies forever

• How AI is altering the risk landscape for CEOs

• AI Adoption and the Dawn of the Cognitive Age

• How to Build Your Own Custom AI Voice Agent

GOVERNMENT

Press releases, regulation, defense & politics.

• FTC cracks down on DoNotPay, other companies for deceptive AI practices

• Half of Americans want AI outlawed in political ads — it won’t happen soon

• How to Balance Innovation Incentives and Regulation in AI

• UN Issues ‘Governing AI for Humanity’ Report — Here’s What It Says

HARDWARE

Computers, phones, chips & AI powered devices

• Meta unveils 6 game-changing AI and VR innovations

• HP makes bold claims about new AI features but can it back them up?

• AI chip shortage looms, Bain study reveals industry risks

• Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses to gain 4 AI-powered features — and memory

• How Photo Reimagine for Android Takes images to another level

• Is there really a place in the market for AI device Rabbit R1?

What’s happening in AI right now

AI hardware's uphill battle: lessons from Rabbit R1 and the future of smart devices

The race to create the next revolutionary AI-powered device is heating up, but early results suggest a bumpy road ahead. The Rabbit R1, touted as a groundbreaking AI assistant, has stumbled out of the gate with only 5,000 daily active users. This lukewarm reception highlights the challenges facing standalone AI hardware in a world dominated by versatile smartphones.

The smartphone conundrum

The difficulties faced by devices like the Rabbit R1 stem from a fundamental question: Why carry an additional gadget when your smartphone can already handle AI tasks? Mark Zuckerberg recently emphasized this point, arguing that AI integration will make smartphones "a lot more exciting." Phone manufacturers have a built-in advantage, able to deeply embed AI capabilities into the core user experience.

We're already seeing this integration in action. Apple's upcoming iOS 18.1 update demonstrates the power of AI to enhance everyday tasks. The Photos app will soon feature natural language search powered by Apple Intelligence, allowing users to find specific images with complex queries like "show me pictures of my dog at the beach last summer." This type of seamless AI integration within existing apps poses a significant threat to single-purpose AI devices.

The search for a killer app

Despite these hurdles, tech companies continue to bet on dedicated AI hardware. Meta's recent Connect event showcased a slew of AR and VR innovations, including the Orion AR glasses prototype. Meanwhile, HP is preparing to launch AI-powered laptops like the OmniBook Ultra Flip. Even established players like Google are pushing AI updates to existing hardware, with the original Pixel Watch receiving Wear OS 5 and new AI features.

The key for these devices will be finding their "killer app" – a use case compelling enough to justify carrying an additional device. Some potential areas where AI hardware might carve out a niche include:

1. Specialized professional tools: AI-enhanced devices for specific industries (healthcare, engineering, etc.)

2. Privacy-focused alternatives: For users concerned about smartphone data collection

3. Accessibility devices: AI assistants tailored for users with disabilities

4. Education and language learning: Dedicated AI tutors and translators

Lessons from E-readers

The e-reader market offers a potential blueprint for AI hardware success. Despite competition from tablets and smartphones, devices like the Kindle have maintained a loyal following by excelling at a specific task – distraction-free reading. AI hardware may need to similarly focus on niche use cases where they can outperform smartphones.

What this could mean for the industry

1. Hardware companies: Need to clearly articulate the value proposition of standalone AI devices

2. App developers: May need to pivot strategies to complement built-in AI on smartphones

3. Smartphone manufacturers: Likely to double down on AI integration as a key differentiator

4. Consumers: Can expect more AI features across devices, but adoption of dedicated AI hardware may be slow

Looking ahead

The future of AI hardware remains uncertain. While the Rabbit R1's struggles are sobering, high-profile projects like the collaboration between Apple's Jony Ive and OpenAI's Sam Altman suggest continued interest in standalone AI devices.

For now, the most successful AI integrations are likely to be those that enhance existing devices and workflows. Companies should focus on solving real user pain points rather than creating technology for its own sake. As HP's research shows, AI usage has increased from 38% to 66% in the past year, indicating growing consumer comfort with AI-powered tools.

The coming years will determine whether AI hardware can find its place alongside smartphones, or if it will remain a niche category. One thing is certain: the race to create the definitive AI-powered device is far from over.

We publish daily research, playbooks, and deep industry data breakdowns. Learn More Here

AI research changing the world

The latest breakthroughs and most pivotal papers — broken down in language anyone can understand.

CIO perspectives on generative AI

The MIT Technology Review Insights report "The great acceleration: CIO perspectives on generative AI" reveals a significant shift towards enterprise-wide AI integration, with 94% of organizations planning to implement such strategies by 2025. The study, based on executive interviews and a global survey, highlights generative AI's potential to contribute up to $4.4 trillion to the global economy. It emphasizes AI's role in revolutionizing customer engagement, data management, and business innovation. The report suggests that successful companies are leveraging AI not just as an IT upgrade, but as a fundamental component of future business success, creating a competitive advantage. However, this widespread adoption may also lead to increased inequality between organizations, workforce dynamics shifts, and ethical concerns, necessitating stronger regulatory frameworks and public discourse on AI governance.

The AI tool we’re loving right now

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This week on the podcast

Can’t get enough of our newsletter? Check out our podcast Future-Proof.

In this episode Anthony, Shane, and Elizabeth discuss the transformative impact of AI on sales processes and e-commerce. The conversation highlights the competitive edge that AI-native companies have over traditional businesses, the evolving landscape of customer interactions, and the potential for AI to streamline workflows and enhance personalization at the same time.