Ex-Apple engineers create an AI button
9to5Mac • • technology
Key Points:
- Two former Apple engineers, Chris Nolet and Ryan Burgoyne, have developed an AI hardware device called Button, designed to resemble an iPod Shuffle and featuring a generative AI chatbot activated by pressing a physical button.
- The Button aims to address privacy concerns associated with always-on AI devices by requiring manual activation, but the creators have not convincingly explained why it cannot simply be an app on existing smartphones.
- Previous AI wearables, such as the Humane AI pin and Rabbit R1, received poor reviews, reinforcing skepticism about the need for dedicated AI hardware when smartphones already provide AI capabilities.
- The device connects to earbuds or smart glasses via Bluetooth and responds out loud to user queries, but its unique value proposition compared to smartphone apps remains unclear.
- The comparison to the iPod and iPhone highlights the challenge of introducing dedicated AI hardware in a market dominated by multifunctional smartphones that already offer extensive AI functionality.
