US-based AI startup rabbit launches r1, promises app-free online experience. Check out the details

The device, named r1, is running on a natural-language operating system.

r1 was developed to leap into an app-free online experience by introducing an operating system that navigates all the apps a person is using, making sure he does not need to do it on his own.

What is Large Action Model (LAM)?

r1’s operating system, rabbit OS, is the first operating system ever built on Large Action Model (LAM), rabbit’s proprietary foundation model that can infer and model human actions on computer interfaces by learning users’ intentions and behaviour when they use specific apps, and then mimic and perform them both reliably and quickly.

What is the price of the device?

rabbit’s unique new r1 device costs USD 199.

Shipments will begin beginning in late March 2024.

rabbit Founder and CEO Jesse Lyu says two batches of the device have already been sold

Reflecting the excitement over the strong response his device is receiving from tech enthusiasts, he posted on X: “The second batch of 10,000 rabbit r1 devices is sold out! Pre-orders for the third batch are available now at http://rabbit.tech Expected delivery date is May - June 2024.”

“The biggest mistakes so far: a support team with expectations to handle 500 orders v 20k within 48 hrs…i am dumb. fixing it,” he said.

Speaking on the device, he said: “We’ve come to a point where we have hundreds of apps on our smartphones with complicated UX designs that don’t talk to each other. As a result, end users are frustrated with their devices and are often getting lost.”

He said Large Action Model will move a step further since it will generate actions on behalf of users.

“rabbit is now building towards an intuitive app-free experience with the power of AI. Large Language Models, like ChatGPT, showed the possibility of understanding natural language with AI; our Large Action Model takes it one step further: it doesn’t just generate text in response to human input – it generates actions on behalf of users to help us get things done,” he said.

LAM is designed to make AI systems see and act on apps in the same way humans do. It learns by demonstration – observing a human using an interface and reliably replicating the process, even if the interface is changed.

It works by first understanding complex human intentions, then spinning up on human-oriented interfaces across all mobile and desktop environments on a customized cloud platform, and finally interacting with apps within the platform to achieve certain objectives without the need for complex, custom integrations like Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

LAM fundamentally removes the need for users to download and use multiple apps on their devices, and instead proactively carries out the tasks on such apps for them.

rabbit OS

rabbit OS, and the underlying LAM, add abundant value to users’ online life with “rabbits” – personal AI agents that carry out various tasks.

Most voice-based assistants in smart homes and portable consumer devices only handle simple requests such as turning on lights or checking the weather. rabbit OS, on the other hand, can handle most of one’s digital errands – from simple tasks like searching for up-to-date information to complex tasks such as thoroughly researching and booking options for upcoming travel, or filling a virtual grocery store cart and completing transactions at check-out.

At launch, rabbit OS will already be trained to work with the most popular apps. In the near future, it will also feature an experimental capability that allows users to train their own “rabbits” to perform specific tasks on niche apps and workflows.

Through a web portal called “rabbit hole,” a cloud hub where users can relay access to their existing apps to rabbits, users can enable different features and functionalities for their r1 device.

Similar to handing one’s unlocked phone to a friend who will help order takeout, rabbit OS performs tasks for users with their permission, without preemptively storing their identity information or passwords.

rabbit OS does not create any proxy accounts, or require users to purchase additional subscriptions for their existing services, which leads to increased safety, security, and efficiency.

Hardware features

The device comes with custom hardware features including a 2.88 inch touchscreen display, a push-to-talk button, a scroll wheel for navigating through helpful “cards” to interact with different activities assisted by LAM, and “rabbit eye,” an AI enhanced, motorized vision system that serves as a rotating camera. rabbit eye is capable of making video calls as well as executing some of the most advanced computer vision applications.

These features empower users to trigger actions more quickly than on even the most powerful flagship smartphones.

Unlike most consumer smart devices that must be managed on a smartphone, r1 operates as a fully standalone handheld device, with both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity options.

Inside the casing it boasts a 2.3 GHz MediaTek Helio P35 processor, 4 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage, a USB-C port and an empty SIM card slot, which is factory unlocked for true versatility. The battery is designed to last for all-day usage.

Tech experts give thumbs up:

Social media has been buzzing with reactions ever since the device was unveiled recently.

Several tech experts have voiced their opinions in support of the device with a few of them even saying it is the most innovative device launched since iPhone was unveiled by Apple more than a decade ago.

Arcatron Mobility CEO Ganesh Sonawane posted on X: " Most impressive handheld smart device launch since iPhone. Rabbit R1."

US-based Entrepreneur Fernando Ocasio, whose X profile says he likes to make AI and Tech tutorials, wrote: "Rabbit R1 isn't just another device, it's a new generation of AI-powered tech.."

Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation, Service Now, wrote on X: "We're starting to see what a post-phone world can look like."

Tech enthusiast Matthew Berman, whose Youtube page is followed by 140K subscribers, posted on X: "Rabbit R1 offers a preview of the future. One where apps are gone and operating systems are abstracted away by LLMs."