Logitech says no to AI gadgets, calls them solutions in search of problems
Haneke Faber, CEO of Logitech, expressed his skepticism regarding the AI-specific gadget. He believed that such tools were looking for solutions to problems that do not exist.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Apart from chatbots, the tech industry is now eyeing AI hardware. OpenAI is already working on AI-based hardware with former Apple designer Jony Ive. However, it seems that computer manufacturer Logitech is not going to join this race. Haneke Faber, CEO of Logitech, has claimed that AI gadgets won’t really bring anything new.
Logitech CEO finds AI hardware useless
Faber expressed his stance on AI hardware by saying that such gadgets would not be useful in anything. As quoted by Bloomberg, he said, “What there is is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.” While OpenAI is a new entrant into AI hardware, there have been efforts in the past by startups like Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1. Both products failed to meet expectations and received critical reviews.
Logitech will still focus on AI
While Logitech is not pursuing standalone AI gadgets, the company continues to support artificial intelligence by integrating AI features into existing products. Its video cameras use intelligent framing to track speakers, and the latest MX Master 4 mouse enables users to directly access ChatGPIT or Microsoft CoPilot via a side button. According to Haneke Faber, the company has a consistent roadmap of about 35 to 40 new products every year.
Investment in research and development remains strong, with approximately 6% of sales dedicated to R&D. Faber stressed, “We continue to spend about 6% of sales in R&D, which is very high in our industry.”
Logitech uses AI agents in meetings
Faber may not be a fan of AI hardware, but she recently said that her company uses AI agents quite a bit. “We already use (AI agents) in almost every meeting,” the Logitech CEO revealed at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in October this year.
Haneke Faber underlined the need for proper governance of AI agents that are able to take actions on your behalf. However, he was confident that such agentic AI would significantly increase productivity. “If you don’t have an AI agent in every meeting, you’re missing out on some productivity,” Faber said.
