SpaceX has developed a prototype for a phone-like device designed to transform how humans interact with artificial intelligence, which the company recently presented to investors.
According to people familiar with the matter, the rocket and AI company showed the prototype to select investors and other stakeholders ahead of a potential large-scale initial public offering. The prototype is described as having a sleek design and being slimmer than an iPhone.
These sources indicated the prototype is designed to run on a proprietary operating system and integrates AI technology from SpaceX's xAI. They also stated the device would utilize a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset.
SpaceX has informed some investors that the project remains in its early stages. The design could undergo changes, and it is currently unclear whether such a device will ultimately be manufactured.
Representatives for SpaceX and Qualcomm have not responded to requests for comment.
This project underscores Elon Musk's expansive ambitions as he works to build a leading global satellite connectivity network, grow his rocket company, and develop new AI tools. AI companies are placing various bets on the future form and function of AI devices.
Reports suggest Musk has previously considered building a smartphone, driven by dissatisfaction with how companies like Apple control the distribution of third-party apps, such as X. However, breaking into the hardware industry is challenging for any newcomer.
"The last thing I want to do is make another phone," Musk said last October. "But if we have to, we will."
In February of this year, Musk denied his companies were developing a phone, dismissing a Reuters report that SpaceX was building a device that could connect directly to its Starlink satellite network. He posted on X, "We are not making a phone."
Some investors in SpaceX and Tesla have been told that Musk has long envisioned developing a consumer device to serve as a platform for the technologies from his various companies. This device could also help Musk reduce his reliance on other companies, as his xAI chatbot is typically accessed via Apple or Android devices.
Musk's Starlink satellite service already sells antennas for internet connectivity and, through partnerships with companies including T-Mobile, offers mobile phone service in areas with no signal.
People with knowledge of the situation said the device prototype recently shown to investors draws on Musk's concept of an "everything app," a notion he strongly advocated when acquiring the social media platform Twitter (now X) in 2022. These software programs, often called "super apps" and popular in Asia, consolidate services for which Americans typically need to download separate applications.
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