Tony Fadell called the Rabbit R1, Humane Ai Pin and Limitless pendant failed first-wave AI gadgets. He said they solved no real consumer need and were just interesting technology for geeks. He noted most people do not know what an assistant is or how to use one. He argued trust and safety will be paramount for any AI assistant to succeed. He said Apple may be the only company that could build a trusted AI agent today. He predicted successful AI agents will run on-device only for privacy and performance. He said companies without hardware access are building gadgets to collect sensor data. He warned startups get only one shot at product-market fit.

• <0.01% of people have ever had a human assistant