Current devices like phones and computers were designed before the advent of human-like AI and are not optimized for it. Figure's founder argues that this creates a massive opportunity for a new class of hardware, including language devices and humanoids, which will eventually replace today's dominant form factors.
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As consumers become inundated with AI and digital experiences, a strong counter-trend is emerging. This creates venture-scale opportunities for companies focused on tangible hardware, 'dumb' phones, and real-world services that facilitate human connection offline, as demonstrated by Greylock's investment in a kids' landline.
The ultimate winner in the AI race may not be the most advanced model, but the most seamless, low-friction user interface. Since most queries are simple, the battle is shifting to hardware that is 'closest to the person's face,' like glasses or ambient devices, where distribution is king.
The true evolution of voice AI is not just adding voice commands to screen-based interfaces. It's about building agents so trustworthy they eliminate the need for screens for many tasks. This shift from hybrid voice/screen interaction to a screenless future is the next major leap in user modality.
Despite its hardware prowess, Apple is poorly positioned for the coming era of ambient AI devices. Its historical dominance is built on screen-based interfaces, and its voice assistant, Siri, remains critically underdeveloped, creating a significant disadvantage against voice-first competitors.
Contrary to the belief that new form factors like phones replace laptops, the reality is more nuanced. New devices cause specific tasks to move to the most appropriate platform. Laptops didn't die; they became better at complex tasks, while simpler jobs moved to phones. The same will happen with wearables and AI.
The prohibitive cost of building physical AI is collapsing. Affordable, powerful GPUs and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are enabling consumers and hobbyists to create sophisticated, task-specific robots at home, moving AI out of the cloud and into tangible, customizable consumer electronics.
Pat Gelsinger frames the AI revolution as an inversion of human-computer interaction. For 50 years, people have adapted to computers. AI-native applications will reverse this, with the computer adapting to the user's language and context—a paradigm shift that will dramatically change user experience.
While many expect smart glasses, a more compelling theory for OpenAI's first hardware device is a smart pen. This aligns with Sam Altman's personal habits and supply chain rumors, offering a screenless form factor for a proactive AI companion.
Consumer innovation arrives in predictable waves after major technological shifts. The browser created Amazon and eBay; mobile created Uber and Instagram. The current AI platform shift is creating the same conditions for a new, massive wave of consumer technology companies.
The next user interface paradigm is delegation, not direct manipulation. Humans will communicate with AI agents via voice, instructing them to perform complex tasks on computers. This will shift daily work from hours of clicking and typing to zero, fundamentally changing our relationship with technology.
