Are the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin worth buying? If you’ve been searching for answers about these trending AI gadgets, you're not alone. As the market floods with smart personal assistants and AI hardware, former Apple design chief Jony Ive made headlines by publicly calling the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin “very poor products.” With his credibility and design legacy tied to iconic devices like the iPhone and iMac, Ive’s comments carry significant weight—especially now that he’s collaborating with OpenAI on a $6.5 billion AI device expected in 2026. In this article, we’ll break down what happened, what this means for the future of AI hardware, and how Rabbit’s founder responded to the criticism.
Jony Ive’s remarks came during the announcement of a major collaboration between his design lab, LoveFrom, and OpenAI, led by CEO Sam Altman. Their ambitious project aims to revolutionize human-computer interaction with a next-gen AI gadget. While details remain under wraps, industry insiders suggest it could redefine the AI assistant market, directly competing with the likes of Rabbit and Humane.
During an interview with Bloomberg, Ive didn't hold back when reflecting on the failures of 2024. “There have been public failures... those were very poor products,” he said of the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin, criticizing their lack of innovation and user-centric design. These remarks echo what many early reviewers observed: that the R1 and AI Pin felt more like rushed concepts than reliable, helpful devices.
Both the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin launched with immense hype, promising a new way to engage with AI in our daily lives. However, they failed to deliver on expectations. Reviewers called the Humane AI Pin nearly unusable, while the R1 was dubbed “a worse and less functional version of your smartphone.”
Rabbit's founder, Jesse Lyu, responded passionately. In a statement to The Verge, he acknowledged the R1’s rocky debut but emphasized the company’s continued innovation. “First of all, Jony Ive is my hero,” Lyu began. “However, we don’t like to be put side by side with Humane—a company that stopped trying.” Lyu highlighted ongoing improvements, like the introduction of Rabbit’s upgraded AI-native OS and the Intern platform, which allows users to try advanced features even without the R1 device.
The divergence between the two companies is stark. While Humane was acquired by HP and shut down its AI Pins earlier this year, Rabbit continues to iterate. They've added contextual memory logging, improved user experience, and are working on rabbitOS 2.0—a more cohesive operating system that promises seamless coordination across multiple AI agents.
Still, Rabbit is facing a David vs. Goliath challenge. Competing against Ive and Altman’s well-funded venture will require more than just scrappy innovation. It will demand usability, reliability, and above all, trust from users—something the early R1 didn’t fully earn.
The takeaway? Jony Ive and Sam Altman are betting big on the future of consumer AI devices, and they're not impressed by what's out there today. Their forthcoming product could reshape the competitive landscape, forcing companies like Rabbit to level up or risk being left behind.
That said, Lyu’s response demonstrates both humility and resilience. Despite limited resources, Rabbit’s willingness to learn and adapt keeps them in the game—for now. If the company can overcome its past missteps, it might still find a niche in the evolving AI ecosystem.
Whether you're a tech enthusiast, startup founder, or someone curious about the next leap in AI-powered assistants, one thing is clear: Jony Ive's return to hardware, paired with OpenAI’s cutting-edge technology, is set to challenge everything we know about smart devices. As competition heats up, expect more high-stakes drama, rapid product evolution, and possibly, the birth of a new category of must-have consumer tech.
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