However, the hardware industry has proven difficult for many AI companies. For instance, Rabbit's R1, despite selling around 130,000 units, has been slow to deliver on its promised features. Other companies, like Humane, have had to recall their products due to safety issues and poor sales. Perplexity, which is reportedly close to raising half a billion dollars, will need more than just financial resources to succeed in the hardware market.
Key takeaways:
- Perplexity's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, is considering developing a simple, voice-activated device that would cost under $50.
- High-profile AI startups are increasingly interested in hardware, with new AI-focused form factors potentially enabling new types of interactions.
- However, hardware development is challenging, with many AI device ventures, such as Humane's Ai Pin, failing to meet expectations and facing issues like poor reviews, weak sales, and safety recalls.
- Perplexity is reportedly close to raising around half a billion dollars, which could potentially aid in their hardware development efforts.