Tony Fadell says AI gadgets must solve real problems to earn trust

At MIT Future Fest, Tony Fadell showed images of three discontinued AI devices: the Rabbit R1, the Humane AI pin and the Limitless pendant. He called them “Gen 1” products and said their makers had asked for his help, which he declined.

Fadell, credited as the “father of the iPod,” a co-creator of the iPhone and founder of Nest, said the devices did not meet a real need. He argued that an assistant must solve a clear problem to become useful to consumers.

He said fewer than 0.01% of the world’s population has ever had a human assistant, while 99.99% have not. Fadell added that it took him a couple of years to learn how to use an assistant and trust one with sensitive data, meetings and work involving his bank.

Fadell said trust and safety will be essential for AI assistants. He suggested that a successful agent may need to run only on a device, keeping sensitive data off the cloud. He praised Apple’s hardware and privacy reputation, while noting that its AI uses customized versions of Google’s Gemini.

He also argued that some companies make gadgets to access phone sensors, potentially seeking more than 20 permissions, including video, audio and GPS location. Fadell said startups have “one shot” when a product fails, unlike Apple with Vision Pro.