The AI Tamagotchis are coming

While AI has made plenty of inroads on phones and computers, it has largely failed in dedicated devices. Over the next year, Meta and OpenAI will attempt to change that by testing market appetites for physical hardware using cutesy software agents. Acknowledging that hardware is hard, previous dedicated devices have faced frustration and backlash. OpenAI is working with ex-Apple designer Jony Ive to ship hardware no earlier than February 2027, while Meta aims to launch a pendant-like device called the Muse Charm before this year's holiday shopping season. OpenAI recently debuted an AI agent platform called Dots, suggesting it could eventually power a physical device, whereas Meta is directly tying its hardware to the Muse agent as a fast way to interact with surroundings.