Tony Fadell on why the first wave of AI gadgets failed — and what comes next

At MIT Future Fest, Tony Fadell, known as the father of the iPod and co-creator of the iPhone, explained why the first wave of AI gadgets — like the Rabbit R1, Humane AI Pin, and Limitless pendant — failed. He said these products did not solve a genuine pain point, calling them interesting technology for geeks rather than useful tools. Fadell noted that most consumers have never used a personal assistant, so they don't understand how to use or trust one; even for those who have, building trust takes years, especially with sensitive data like bank access. He argued that trust and safety are paramount for any AI agent, and that Apple is the only company currently capable of delivering a secure, on-device AI assistant because it controls the hardware and chips, though it lacks a world-class AI model. Fadell predicts that successful AI agents will run on-device rather than in the cloud, both for privacy and lightweight performance. He also observed that companies like Meta and OpenAI are building hardware because they lack the billions of devices and sensors Apple already has. Fadell, who has criticized Apple when warranted, also noted that startups get only one shot at product-market fit, unlike Apple with products like the Vision Pro.

(Source：TechCrunch)