Even though it is not as well-known as Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and AMD, Taiwan-based MediaTek is the second-largest supplier of smartphone chips in the world and is quietly establishing a leadership position in the still nascent market for smart and affordable generative AI devices.
At CES, MediaTek SoC platforms powered two of the most interesting new products in this emerging category. Both the Rabbit R1 AI companion and the ElliQ 3 eldercare robot provide an intriguing glimpse of the what AI-powered devices will look like.
The Rabbit R1 was one of the major stars of CES, reportedly selling over 20,000 units after its launch compared to an initial expectation of just 500. Powered by a 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio P35 processor, the R1 acts as a personal digital assistant that enables you to schedule appointments, book taxis, order meals, and draft emails with simple voice commands. Its so-called Large Action Model provides instant access to all your apps through a single unified interface rather than having to switch from app to app as you would on a smartphone.
Whether the Rabbit R1 will ultimately replace your smartphone is beside the point at this stage. Its low $199 price and cool retro design mean that there will be plenty of casual tech enthusiasts eager to try it out.
The ElliQ 3 eldercare robot uses generative AI to reduce loneliness and boost cognitive health among seniors through its ability to carry out meaningful one-on-one conversations and even share poems and paintings.
The device is powered by an octa-core MediaTek SoC with a built-in AI processing unit (APU) and is connected to a Relationship Orchestration Engine Large Language Model that helps make interactions smooth by learning the senior’s likes, dislikes, relatives, and other relevant information during their conversations. To promote greater social connectedness, the ElliQ 3 can also suggest participation in events and other activities arranged by the community the senior is living in.
Whether it is for mainstream consumer usage models or for targeted use cases like the ElliQ 3, the potential for smart and easy-to-use generative AI devices like the Rabbit R1 and ElliQ 3 is huge. While Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and AMD focus on the AI PC and server markets, MediaTek is very well positioned to drive rapid growth in this new segment with its highly integrated generative AI hardware and software platforms and development kits.
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