The sun had barely risen over Silicon Valley when Ethan, a young tech enthusiast, tuned into his favorite podcast, Wired. As he sipped his morning coffee, he couldn’t help but be intrigued by a particular segment discussing the ever-evolving role of artificial intelligence. The hosts had just returned from Apple’s WWDC, and their observations struck a chord with Ethan: AI, they asserted, was becoming more of a feature than a standalone product. This concept was something Ethan had pondered before, but hearing it articulated so clearly made him reflect deeply on the current and future state of technology.
Ethan’s thoughts drifted to the past as he pondered this assertion. He remembered the meteoric rise and fall of Clubhouse, a social audio app that had briefly captured the world’s attention. Back in the early 2020s, during the pandemic era, Clubhouse had taken the world by storm with its simple yet innovative concept of live audio stage events. It was a platform where users could join conversations, host interviews, and create shows—all in real-time. For a while, it seemed like the next big thing. Major celebrities and influencers flocked to it, and it quickly became a household name.
But the euphoria was short-lived. Within a year or two, tech giants like Spotify, Discord, Slack, and Twitter had built similar features into their own apps. Clubhouse’s uniqueness was eroded as these giants integrated live audio stages seamlessly into their platforms. What was once a promising product had been reduced to a mere feature among many, leading to its decline. Ethan couldn’t help but wonder: Is AI as a product or feature destined for a similar fate?
Recent events provided plenty of food for thought. In 2024, two notable attempts at making AI a standalone product had emerged: the Humane AI Pin and the Rabbit r1. These devices were designed to be physical embodiments of AI assistants, promising users an interactive, omnipresent helper. The Humane AI Pin, with its sleek design and futuristic capabilities, was touted as the next big leap in personal technology. Meanwhile, the Rabbit r1 aimed to revolutionize how people interacted with their devices, offering a hands-free, voice-activated AI experience.
However, both devices failed spectacularly. They were plagued with performance issues, user interface problems, and a lack of practical utility. Despite their ambitious promises, these standalone AI products couldn’t deliver a seamless user experience. But this failure raised an important question for Ethan: If these devices had succeeded, would AI have then been accepted as a standalone product? Or were they destined to fail because AI is inherently better suited as a feature integrated into existing ecosystems?
Ethan’s mind was drawn back to more recent developments. Just a few months after the failures of the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit r1, Apple’s WWDC and Google I/O presented a starkly different approach to artificial intelligence. Instead of pushing AI as a standalone product, both tech giants opted to integrate AI features into their existing ecosystems. This strategy intrigued Ethan, who saw the wisdom in enhancing user experience with AI rather than trying to sell it as a separate entity.
At WWDC, Apple showcased how AI could seamlessly enhance user experience across its operating systems. Ethan was particularly impressed with the new writing tools powered by language models that could help with summarizing, proofreading, and even changing the tone of text. Siri, Apple’s digital assistant, had also received a significant upgrade. It could now hold more natural conversations, understand context better, and utilize a semantic index to parse information from various files on a user’s device.
Moreover, Apple introduced AI-driven image and emoji generation directly on users’ devices, further embedding AI into everyday interactions. The integration was so seamless that it made AI an invisible yet powerful part of the user experience. This approach made Ethan realize that AI as a product or feature wasn’t just about adding flashy capabilities; it was about fundamentally enhancing the user experience without requiring users to adapt to a new product.
Google took a similar path during its I/O conference, embedding AI capabilities within its suite of services. Google’s integration of AI into Google Workspace, with features like smart replies and AI-powered meeting summaries, further illustrated how AI could be seamlessly woven into existing tools to enhance productivity.
As Ethan continued to mull over these thoughts, he couldn’t help but think about other tech trends that had followed a similar trajectory. He remembered how Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts had adopted the vertical video format popularized by TikTok. Despite this, TikTok remained the most popular platform for short, algorithm-driven videos. This suggested that while features could be integrated into other platforms, the original product could still thrive if it maintained its unique appeal.
Similarly, Snapchat’s stories feature had been widely copied by other social media platforms, yet Snapchat continued to thrive, particularly among younger users. These examples suggested that sometimes a standalone product could coexist with its features embedded in other platforms. But was this the future for AI? Could AI thrive both as a standalone product and as integrated features, or would one approach ultimately dominate?
Ethan decided to share his thoughts on a tech forum he frequented, hoping to spark a discussion among fellow enthusiasts. He outlined his observations and posed the question to the community: “Is AI a product or a feature? Can it be both, or does one have to dominate the other?”
The responses were varied, reflecting the complexity of the issue. Some users believed that AI’s strength lay in its ability to enhance existing products, making them smarter and more intuitive. They argued that AI, when integrated into products like smartphones, laptops, and smart home devices, offered the most value because it improved tools people were already familiar with. For these users, AI as a feature was the natural evolution of technology.
Others argued that standalone AI products had the potential to revolutionize how we interact with technology. They pointed out that while current attempts at standalone AI products had failed, future innovations could succeed where others had not. These users envisioned a world where AI devices were as common as smartphones, each serving a specialized purpose that integrated seamlessly into users’ lives.
Meanwhile, across town, Maya, a product manager at a tech startup, was facing her own AI conundrum. Her team had developed an AI-powered tool designed to assist with customer service. Initially, they envisioned it as a standalone product that would revolutionize customer interactions. However, after observing the industry’s trends and considering Ethan’s forum discussion, Maya was having second thoughts.
She began to see the potential in integrating their AI tool into existing platforms rather than pushing it as a separate product. By embedding AI capabilities within the tools that customer service teams were already using, Maya realized they could enhance efficiency and satisfaction without requiring users to learn a new system. This shift in thinking reflected a broader industry trend where AI as a product or feature was being carefully considered by tech companies worldwide.
Ethan’s discussion on the forum caught the attention of Alex, a software developer working at Gadget Kings, a tech company known for its innovative products. Alex was intrigued by the debate and decided to weigh in. “At Gadget Kings, we’ve seen the benefits of both approaches,” Alex wrote. “Our latest product line incorporates AI features that enhance user experience, but we also offer standalone AI gadgets for enthusiasts who want more control and customization.”
Gadget Kings had long been at the forefront of AI innovation, offering a range of AI-integrated products and standalone gadgets. Their website showcased everything from smart home devices that learned user preferences to advanced AI assistants capable of performing complex tasks. Alex believed that the key to success lay in offering flexibility—catering to users who preferred seamless integration as well as those who sought standalone solutions.
This flexibility allowed Gadget Kings to appeal to a broad audience. For the average consumer, AI-enhanced products offered convenience and ease of use, integrating into daily routines without requiring significant changes. For tech enthusiasts and professionals, standalone AI gadgets provided the opportunity to explore the full potential of artificial intelligence, offering customization and advanced features that went beyond what integrated products could offer.
The debate continued to swirl in Ethan’s mind as he browsed Gadget Kings’ offerings. He saw firsthand how AI could enhance everyday devices, making them smarter, more intuitive, and more responsive to users’ needs. Yet, he also recognized the appeal of dedicated AI gadgets that offered specialized functions, such as AI-powered drones, advanced robotics kits, and personalized virtual assistants.
In the end, Ethan realized that the future of AI might not be a simple binary choice between product and feature. Instead, it could be a blend of both, with AI seamlessly integrated into existing products while also thriving as standalone solutions for specific needs. The key was to balance innovation with practicality, ensuring that AI was accessible to all while also pushing the boundaries of what was possible.
As he shared his final thoughts on the forum, Ethan felt a sense of excitement about the endless possibilities AI held for the future. The question of AI as a product or feature would continue to evolve as technology advanced, but one thing was clear: AI was here to stay, transforming the tech landscape in ways both seen and unseen. And for enthusiasts like Ethan, that was the most thrilling prospect of all.
Ethan’s thoughts drifted back to Gadget Kings, wondering how their approach to AI might shape the future. Whether integrated into devices or standing alone, AI’s potential seemed limitless, promising a new era of technological innovation and user experience. As he delved deeper into the world of AI, Ethan knew one thing for sure—this was just the beginning.
The future of AI as a product or feature would be shaped by innovation, market demands, and user preferences. But as long as companies like Gadget Kings continued to explore both possibilities, the tech world would remain on the cutting edge, offering solutions that catered to every type of user. For Ethan and countless others, the journey into the AI-driven future was only just beginning, and the excitement of discovering what lay ahead was palpable.
In the end, whether AI thrived as a product, a feature, or a combination of both, its impact on society and technology would be profound. As Ethan closed his laptop and prepared for the day ahead, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder at the possibilities that AI promised. The question of AI as a product or feature might not have a definitive answer, but the exploration of that question was what made the journey worthwhil
Shop no. 20 A kensington village shopping center, 8 sovereigns ave,Bray Park QLD 4500
gadget.kings.prs@gmail.com