SpaceX allegedly presented investors with an early prototype of a handheld artificial intelligence device ahead of its initial public offering, signaling a possible expansion beyond its traditional aerospace and satellite ventures. The device is said to be consumer-focused, thinner than an iPhone, and powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset alongside a proprietary operating system built on xAI technology.
According to sources, the company informed investors that the project remained in an early development stage, emphasizing the design was subject to change and that there was no guarantee the device would reach the market. This move would represent SpaceX leveraging its recent acquisition of xAI, the creator of the Grok large language model, fully integrating AI hardware and software capabilities internally.
Elon Musk responded swiftly on social media, labeling the report as “utterly false” without offering additional details. The idea of a SpaceX-branded AI device aligns with Musk’s past statements about creating an “everything app” that challenges the dominance of Apple and Google in mobile ecosystems, even hinting in late 2022 at the potential for developing his own smartphone to counter moderation policies on Twitter (now X).
The challenge of launching AI-powered consumer hardware remains significant, as demonstrated by recent industry attempts. Products like the Humane AI Pin and the Rabbit R1, while innovative, struggled to find sustainable markets and either discontinued or faced commercial difficulties. Meanwhile, giants such as Apple and Google continue experimenting with AI-integrated devices, including smart glasses and wearables, but none have yet disrupted smartphone prevalence.
SpaceX has not offered any official statement beyond Musk’s rejection of the claims. The company’s IPO last month on the Nasdaq set records by raising approximately $75 billion and achieving a valuation near $1.77 trillion, further establishing SpaceX as a major player in technology and aerospace sectors.