The Rabbit R1 chronicles.
Chapter 3: Virtual assistance, the next generation.
Though Rabbit R1 can connect with multiple LLMs and spit out the answers to your question, its superpower is that it can do actions through its LAM. As you read this, humans are training Rabbit’s Large Action Model on many major services that have a web portal. In conjunction with a garden-variety browser, Rabbit can also follow you in doing a task on the web and then do it for you the next time. (Though it’s likely Teach mode will not be ready at launch.) At this stage of Rabbit’s development we’re dealing with simple, but very useful tasks, like “Deliver my favorite pizza”. But when company founder Jesse Lyu held Rabbit’s camera up to the fridge and told Rabbit to give him a recipe based on what he had in there, it’s easy to see that the LAM will be an aid to problem solving based on our individual needs.
Another feature of Rabbit that’s really important is the physical button. It’s the main source of input: You press it to speak a command to Rabbit. I hope this never goes away (like the button on the iPhone did) because it’s also a failsafe. Siri and Alexa are always listening for your command. Rabbit is not and won’t listen until you hold the button. Siri and Alexa will go ahead and do a simple action, like play music. But Rabbit is capable of more serious tasks and requires you to physically press the button to initiate and press an onscreen button to confirm tasks that require confirmation.
Now some will look at the button as limiting. For example, Siri can turn on your house lights and turn up the furnace when you pull in the driveway. Generally actions like these are nearly harmless: If things don’t go right between Siri and your smart house, you’ve just maybe wasted a little electricity or heat. But there are many more things in our lives that have bigger ramifications when done through AI task management and should require human initiation and confirmation.
It’s useful to understand that Rabbit is like a genie: Your wish is its command, provided you press the button and tell it to make it so.
Read Chapter 4: Don’t speculate a miracle and then expect it.
Check out the entire Chronicles.
I have no affiliation with Rabbit Inc. I’m just an early adopter. If you want to support this journey into the Rabbit, buying me a coffee below helps keep the articles coming.