Elon Musk denies SpaceX AI device prototype report as company eyes mobile market expansion
21 Sources
[1]
SpaceX has an AI device prototype, and it sure sounds phone-ish
Elon Musk's SpaceX has shown investors a prototype of a "handset-like" AI device, reports The Wall Street Journal. The prototype is reportedly sleeker and slimmer than an iPhone, making us wonder if it's something between a small touchscreen phone and a Rabbit R1. SpaceX reportedly showed the
[2]
SpaceX Secretly Unveiled New AI Device to Investors. Is It a Phone or Not?
Blake has over a decade of experience writing for the web, with a focus on mobile phones, where he covered the smartphone boom of the 2010s and the broader tech scene. When he's not in front of a keyboard, you'll most likely find him playing video games or watching horror movies. The idea of an
[3]
Elon Musk denies a report about SpaceX's AI phone prototype
Elon Musk says a report about a SpaceX AI phone prototype is "utterly false." The report, published on Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal, says SpaceX showed off a "handset-like prototype" to some investors before launching its record-breaking initial public offering in June. The device was
[4]
Elon Musk categorically denies SpaceX is making an AI device with proprietary OS -- says rumors of a handheld thinner than an iPhone are 'utterly false'
Elon Musk has slammed reports that SpaceX is developing a handheld AI device as "Utterly False," in a post on X. It follows a report from the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday claiming that SpaceX had demonstrated an early prototype of a handheld device featuring xAI's artificial intelligence
[5]
Musk denies WSJ report that SpaceX showed AI handset prototype before IPO
July 1 (Reuters) - Elon Musk on Wednesday denied a Wall Street Journal report that SpaceX (SPCX.O), opens new tab showed investors and other stakeholders a prototype of an AI-focused device ahead of its blockbuster IPO. "Utterly false," Musk said in a post on X, without elaborating. The Journal
[6]
SpaceX is reportedly testing a handheld AI device - Engadget
The new gadget could offer a way to access xAI's models without having to use a smartphone. SpaceX, the newly-public satellite internet company that also dabbles in rockets and CSAM-generating chatbots, might be building its own AI hardware. The Wall Street Journal reports that ahead of its
[7]
Elon Musk denies reports of SpaceX building a handheld AI device
A demo of the prototype was reportedly given to investors ahead of the lucrative SpaceX IPO. AI is everywhere you see today, with industry giants doing everything in their capacity to get an edge over their competitors. So it didn't come as a surprise when a new report this week claimed that Elon
[8]
SpaceX reportedly showed investors an AI device prototype, Musk says the report is false
WSJ reports SpaceX showed investors a slim AI device prototype using xAI tech and Qualcomm chips. Musk denies it, calling the report false. SpaceX showed investors a prototype of a handset-like AI device before its record IPO, according to The Wall Street Journal. The prototype is reportedly
[9]
Elon Musk Is Reportedly Showing Off an AI Device to Investors
It was only a matter of time. Elon Musk, inveterate inventor and the erstwhile world's first trillionaire, is reportedly working on a smartphone-like device designed to facilitate communication between humans and AI. If that last sentence confused you, you're in good company: Almost nothing is
[10]
SpaceX developing AI hardware product that's 'slimmer than an iPhone,' reports WSJ
Apple isn't the only company with AI-focused products in the works. According to a new report, SpaceX has an artificial intelligence hardware prototype that's "slimmer than an iPhone" in development. For context, Elon Musk's SpaceX recently absorbed the Musk-founded AI firm behind Grok, xAI, which
[11]
Elon Musk's SpaceX Showed Off Prototype AI Device
Elon Musk's SpaceX may be aiming to compete with Apple in the future. The company showed investors a prototype for a "handset-like device designed to reshape how humans interact with artificial intelligence," according to The Wall Street Journal. The device is described as being slimmer than an
[12]
The Problem With SpaceX's Secret "AI Device"
Can't-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Elon Musk, as tech critic Ed Zitron astutely noted, is a master plate-spinner: he always seems to keep the crowd dazzled with an ever-rotating spread of shiny toys. The plate currently featured front and center, SpaceX, has been
[13]
Elon Musk's SpaceX could be making an AI device that's slimmer than iPhone
A slim SpaceX AI device prototype has likely been shown to some investors SpaceX has reportedly shown investors a prototype of a handset-like AI device that is slimmer than an iPhone. According to The Wall Street Journal, the device is said to run on a proprietary operating system, use a Qualcomm
[14]
Report: SpaceX showed investors an AI device before IPO; Musk denies it
Report: SpaceX showed investors an AI device before IPO; Musk denies it Space Exploration Technologies Corp. showed investors and other stakeholders an early prototype of a handheld artificial intelligence device ahead of its planned initial public offering, the Wall Street Journal reported, a
[15]
Elon Musk's SpaceX showcases Grok-powered smartphone built to reshape AI interaction
Elon Musk is reportedly working on a secretive new AI-powered device from SpaceX, and the way it differentiates itself from current smartphones is already raising more questions than it answers. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, SpaceX has been demoing a sleek, iPhone-like handheld
[16]
Elon Musk Is Reportedly Building an AI Device to Replace Your Phone. He Just Won't Call It That.
Last October, Elon Musk said the idea of making a phone "makes me want to die." This week, the Wall Street Journal reported that SpaceX showed investors a prototype of a handset-like AI device slimmer than an iPhone ahead of its IPO. Musk has since called that report "utterly false." According to
[17]
Elon Musk Denies SpaceX Secretly Showed Investors a Slimmer-Than-iPhone AI Device Before Its IPO, Fueling Rampant Speculation
Even though Elon Musk has promptly denied such reports, his prompt negation seems to have only fanned the flames of speculation around a supposed consumer-facing AI device that SpaceX-owned xAI is reportedly preparing to take on OpenAI's rival gambit. While we already know that OpenAI is working
[18]
SpaceX Built the Network an AI Device Needs. Now What? | PYMNTS.com
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday (July 1) that SpaceX showed investors a prototype AI device ahead of its June 2026 IPO. The device is reportedly slimmer than an iPhone, runs a proprietary operating system and built is around xAI software on a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. SpaceX told
[19]
SpaceX Investors Get Preview of Musk's AI Handset | PYMNTS.com
Elon Musk's rocket/artificial intelligence (AI) company had shown the prototype of this device to investors ahead of its recent initial public offering (IPO), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Wednesday (July 1), citing sources familiar with the matter. The device, said to be slimmer than an
[20]
Elon Musk Breaks Silence on SpaceX AI Smartphone Rumors
Speculation around a SpaceX AI smartphone has intensified following reports of an AI hardware prototype. Elon Musk has responded to the rumors, providing fresh insight into what the company may be developing and whether a smartphone is actually part of its plans. Despite those developments, there
[21]
SpaceX teases AI device post-IPO; QCOM gains, Apple unfazed By Investing.com
Investing.com -- Fresh off its historic debut on the public markets, Elon Musk's SpaceX is keeping the momentum going. The newly public aerospace and tech giant has reportedly showcased a prototype AI-interaction device to investors. The hardware, described as sleeker and thinner than an Apple
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The Wall Street Journal reports SpaceX demonstrated a sleeker-than-iPhone AI phone prototype to investors before its June IPO, featuring xAI technology and a proprietary OS. Elon Musk swiftly denied the claims as 'utterly false,' though the company is actively exploring Starlink-branded mobile services. The conflicting signals raise questions about SpaceX's hardware ambitions as it pours billions into AI infrastructure.
SpaceX Shows Investors a Handset-Like AI Device
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that SpaceX demonstrated an AI phone prototype to a select group of investors and stakeholders ahead of its blockbuster IPO in June
1
. The handset-like AI device is reportedly sleeker than an iPhone and designed to run on a proprietary operating system that integrates technology from xAI, Elon Musk's AI company that SpaceX acquired earlier this year2
. According to the Wall Street Journal report, the device would use a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, a common feature in many Android phones today3
.
Source: Android Authority
The prototype remains in its early stages of development, and SpaceX told investors the design could still change significantly, with no certainty the device would ultimately be built
5
. The concept of a handheld AI device with a proprietary operating system would free SpaceX from potential restrictions imposed by Apple and Google's ecosystems, allowing the company to rely on xAI's own technology rather than existing platforms2
.Musk Denies Report as 'Utterly False'
Elon Musk swiftly responded to the reporting on Thursday, calling the claims "utterly false" in a post on X without providing further elaboration
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. This isn't the first time Musk has publicly dismissed the idea of creating a phone. In February, he stated that SpaceX is "not developing a phone" after Reuters reported the company was working on a Starlink-connected smartphone4
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Source: Gizmodo
However, Musk's denials have proven unreliable in the past. After Reuters reported Tesla had canceled its inexpensive Model 2 vehicle in April 2024, Musk replied "Reuters is lying (again)" without elaborating, yet Tesla never launched the low-cost electric vehicle and prioritized Robotaxi instead
4
. During an event in Pennsylvania last October, Musk said "the idea of making a phone makes me want to die," but added, "if we have to make a phone, we will"2
.SpaceX's Broader Mobile Ambitions
While Musk denies the AI-powered device prototype, SpaceX is actively exploring mobile market expansion through other avenues. Last week, the Financial Times reported that SpaceX chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell told investors the company is considering launching a Starlink-branded retail mobile service in the US, directly competing with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon
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. Some analysts have even speculated that SpaceX could acquire T-Mobile or AT&T, though such purchases would be costly1
.Starlink is currently SpaceX's only profitable business, making wireless expansion a logical next step
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. Building a smartphone that connects to Starlink satellites and terrestrial 5G networks is theoretically possible using 3GPP Release-18 and 3GPP Release-19 5G-NTN specifications, and many modern devices already support texting using non-terrestrial networks4
.Related Stories
AI Hardware Race Intensifies
SpaceX has invested billions of dollars to expand beyond its core launch and satellite internet businesses, pouring money into AI infrastructure, xAI's Grok LLM, and plans for space-based computing as Musk seeks to position the company at the center of the AI race
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. The reported device would compete in a crowded field where companies like Humane and Rabbit have already launched unsuccessful AI devices1
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Source: 9to5Mac
OpenAI is working with Apple's former chief design officer Jony Ive on an AI device that CEO Sam Altman claims will be more peaceful than an iPhone, and recently brought on Paul Meade, Apple's VP in charge of the Vision Pro headset, to help move the project forward
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. If OpenAI is pursuing hardware, Musk would likely want to compete, given his history with the company. SpaceX, alongside sister company Tesla, has the manufacturing expertise to mass produce AI devices and access to the chips needed to power on-device compute1
.Whether SpaceX's AI phone prototype exists or not, the company's moves into wireless connectivity and AI infrastructure signal a clear intent to expand beyond rockets and satellites. Watch for further developments around Starlink mobile services and any hardware announcements as SpaceX positions itself in the competitive AI landscape.
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