This year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the highly anticipated rabbit r1 gadget is set to integrate Perplexity AI's cutting-edge technology to address user queries. This collaboration aims to elevate the user experience of the $200 r1 device, which garnered attention at CES as an AI-first innovation. Designed by Teenage Engineering, the r1 simplifies tasks such as web searches, Spotify song requests, and ride-hailing without the need to reach for a phone. Notably, the device currently does not require a monthly subscription fee.

Perplexity AI has sweetened the deal for the initial wave of consumers, with the first 100,000 r1 buyers receiving a complimentary one-year subscription to Perplexity Pro. The device boasts a 2.88-inch touchscreen, a push-to-talk button, a camera, a speaker, and two microphones. With an initial 50,000 devices already sold in pre-orders, the company has opened pre-orders for a 6th production batch, signaling strong demand for this revolutionary gadget. Rabbit ensures timely delivery, committing that customers in the EU and the UK will receive their devices by the end of July, even from the 6th batch pre-orders.

Powered by a blend of proprietary AI models and third-party models, including Google's Gemini, Mistra 7B, Anthropic's Claude 2.1, and OpenAI's GPT-4, Perplexity AI positions itself as a formidable player in the GenAI search space. Utilizing a chatbot interface on web and mobile apps, Perplexity's unique solution enables users to pose questions in natural language, differentiating it from traditional search engines. This announcement follows Perplexity AI's recent successful funding round, where it raised $73.6 million at a valuation of $520 million, led by IVP and featuring investments from NEA, Databricks Ventures, Nvidia, and notable figures such as Jeff Bezos, Shopify CEO Tobi Lutke, and former Twitter VP Elad Gil.