In an era when every company is eager to show how they’re integrating AI into everything, Logitech CEO Hanneke Faber offered a fresh perspective as she dismissed the idea of AI-centric gadgets.
“What’s out there is a solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist,”
Faber told Bloomberg when asked about AI hardware.
Her skepticism comes amid a wave of interest in AI devices, as OpenAI’s Sam Altman and former Apple designer Jony Ive have announced plans to bring new products to market within two years. Yet for AV and computer manufacturing stalwart Logitech, joining this race doesn’t seem to be on the agenda.
The Hype and Reality of AI-Centric Gadgets
Companies are increasingly looking to bring AI closer to hardware to expand its potential applications. However, adoption remains modest. Previous attempts to launch AI-driven devices—such as the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1—failed to meet expectations.
While companies like Logitech have embraced AI across their product portfolios, the focus differs. Logitech’s Rally Bar series of video conferencing cameras, for example, uses its RightSight and RightSound technologies. These products are enhanced by AI, not built entirely around it—unlike the Humane AI Pin or Rabbit R1.
Hardware as an AI Enabler, Not a Driver
Although Faber’s comments may sound “anti-AI,” they align with how hardware and AV companies like Logitech are positioning themselves in the new AI era.
AI is largely a software domain. For a company like Logitech to develop AI-first gadgets would mean diverting resources to compete with large language model developers—an unlikely strategy. Instead, Logitech positions its hardware as an enabler of AI.
For instance, Logitech continues to integrate AI features into existing products. Its video cameras use intelligent framing to track speakers, and the latest MX Master 4 mouse allows users to access ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot directly via a side button. Faber also recently noted that Logitech extensively uses AI agents internally, revealing, “We already use [AI agents] in almost every meeting.”
This reflects how AV companies remain relevant in the AI era: by offering high-quality meeting room products that deliver accurate recordings and support transcription.
As Neil Fluester, Head of Portfolio at Logitech for Business, told UC Today: “It’s not just about delivering microphones, cameras, or fancy meeting room setups anymore. To become essential partners, AV companies should focus on making their solutions the glue that holds together AI-enhanced workspaces and smarter business processes.”
Pragmatism Over Hype
Although her comments made headlines, Faber’s message may simply echo what many are quietly thinking: let’s not get carried away with AI. While it’s transforming workflows across industries, not everything needs to be saturated with it.
For Logitech, the focus remains on refining the tools people already use—making them smarter, not reinventing them for the sake of trends. By framing its hardware as an enabler of AI-powered collaboration rather than the centerpiece, Logitech ensures its place in a fast-changing market.
As AI continues to evolve, Faber believes companies should focus on meaningful, user-driven ways to weave intelligence into the tools people rely on—rather than creating new AI gadgets in search of problems to solve.
