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With the rise of ChatGPT and large language models (LLMs), AI-dedicated devices have started coming out. The Humane AI pin was widely lambasted earlier this month when it launched, and now the Rabbit r1 AI assistant is out. With rumors that Apple is delving into AI in a big way, we thought we'd check out the Rabbit r1 to see what it can do and how it measures up to an iPhone. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priced at $200, the Rabbit is a square-shaped pocket assistant that can answer questions, look up information, interface with food delivery and ride sharing services, play music, translate languages, and more. It's a cute little device that looks right at home with the Playdate from Panic, but most of what it can do can already be done with an ‌iPhone‌. Unlike the Humane AI Pin, the Rabbit r1 has a screen that you can interact with, which makes it much more functional. It comes with an old school scroll wheel for navigating the UI, and there's a built-in camera for recognizing objects. It is Wi-Fi only by default, but you can add a SIM card, which is an added cost. As a first-generation device, the r1 isn't perfect. The setup process is bare bones without tips on how to use the device or what it's able to do. You'll almost certainly need to visit the website to figure out how to use it if you pick one of these up, so it could do with some on-device instruction to make using it smoother. There are, for example, hidden controls like shaking the device to get to the settings, and the settings are the only way to activate the terminal for typing. The idea with the Rabbit r1 is to be less reliant on a smartphone, so there's no app for it. That's kind of a hassle if you want to get to the photos and other information that you've stored on it, because it's only accessible through the Rabbit Hole website. You can hook up services like Spotify, but it's not super smart about suggesting songs. Asking it to play liked songs, for example, resulted in random song selections. The option to translate works well, but it can be slow, and it's tough to get to. In some tests, ordering food was successful, but not without hiccups. We didn't test placing an order ourselves, but YouTuber Quinn Nelson did and the AI placed the order but didn't ask for guidance on a tip and ended up being overly generous and tipping the highest suggested amount. The Rabbit r1 can summarize documents, a task that it's decent at, but that's not really something that a smartphone can't do. It is good at recognizing what's around through the camera, but some things, like a classic Mac, did trip it up. We need to spend more time testing the Rabbit r1, but so far, it seems like a neat device but also an unnecessary one that isn't quite ready to replace a smartphone. Have an opinion on the r1? Let us know in the comments below.Tag: Artificial Intelligence This article, "Hands-On With the Rabbit r1 Pocket AI Assistant" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

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While most people would prefer to chat with real employees when looking to solve a problem to do with a company’s products or services, chatbots are the first and often only port of call these days. They are getting ever smarter too thanks to modern AI - but this does come at a cost, however, as it means fewer human jobs in customer service. For example, take Swedish fintech Klarna. A post on the company’s website announced proudly that its OpenAI-powered Klarna AI assistant had handled two-thirds of customer service chats in its first month. You’ll need some context for that – Klarna says that is 2.3 million conversations. It also says that the AI is now doing the equivalent work of 700 full-time agents and is “on par with human agents in regard to customer satisfaction score”. Klarna also adds that “it is more accurate in errand resolution, leading to a 25% drop in repeat inquiries”, although the decline could be partially attributed to people not wanting to engage with an AI chatbot. No way connected to workforce reductions Speed is a positive factor too. Klarna says customers “resolve their errands in less than 2 mins compared to 11 mins previously" and then there’s the bottom line. The switch to AI has reportedly driven a $40 million profit improvement to Klarna in 2024. “This AI breakthrough in customer interaction means superior experiences for our customers at better prices, more interesting challenges for our employees, and better returns for our investors,” said Sebastian Siemiatkowski, co-founder and CEO of Klarna. “We are incredibly excited about this launch, but it also underscores the profound impact on society that AI will have. We want to reemphasize and encourage society and politicians to consider this carefully and believe a considerate, informed and steady stewardship will be critical to navigate through this transformation of our societies." That the “AI is now doing the equivalent work of 700 full-time agents” will raise some eyebrows, especially given that the company laid off approximately the same number of employees in 2022 due to inflation and economic uncertainty. Despite the similarities in numbers, Klarna says there is no relation between the two. When Fast Company asked the company about it, it was told: “This is in no way connected to the workforce reductions in May 2022, and making that conclusion would be incorrect. We chose to share the figure of 700 to indicate the more long-term consequences of AI technology, where we believe it is important to be transparent in order to create an understanding in society. We think [it’s] important to proactively address these issues and encourage a thoughtful discussion around how society can meet and navigate this transformation.” More from TechRadar Pro These are the best UK job sitesIt seems that GenAI is great at some jobs and terrible at othersCould AI actually lead to more human jobs at your business? View the full article