A startup company founded by former Apple executives has fired the starting gun in the race to develop consumer devices for the age of artificial intelligence.
San Francisco-based startup Humane on Thursday debuted its Ai Pin, a wearable device that acts as a mobile AI assistant. The device is worn like a lapel pin, and users interact with it through voice commands and gestures.
The device doesn't have a screen but it can project text and images via laser onto a user's palm. It also has a built-in camera for identifying objects. The camera also can capture video memories for later recall.
Humane has partnered with Microsoft, OpenAI, Qualcomm and T-Mobile "to deliver the next era of personal mobile computing, which will be one driven by AI," a news release said.
Humane Ai Pin Orders Start This Week
The device costs $699 and requires a $24-a-month wireless subscription. Humane will begin taking orders in the U.S. for the device on Thursday. Orders will start shipping in early 2024.
The Ai Pin runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with a dedicated Qualcomm AI Engine. The pin communicates with the wearer by way of a "personic speaker" or paired Bluetooth headphones. It also features a microphone and a host of sensors.
Ai Pin is a stand-alone device and does not need to be paired with a smartphone or other companion device. However, users manage and access their data, including photos, videos, and notes via the Humane.center website.
The device only activates upon user engagement and does not use "wake words," ensuring it is not always listening or recording. A "trust light" indicates when any sensors are active.
Artificial Intelligence Functions Of Ai Pin
A function called "Catch Me Up" can sort through your email inbox and summarize new messages. The device also features AI-powered messaging that can craft messages in your tone of voice.
Ai Pin can act as a foreign language interpreter and support nutrition goals by identifying food using computer vision. As the device and platform evolve with future updates, new functions will be added, Humane said.
It also will offer an AI-driven music experience through a partnership with Tidal, a unit of Block.
The Humane Ai Pin features a "perpetual power system." Users can get all-day battery life by swapping out the battery pack.
More Consumer AI Devices On The Way
Former Apple executives Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno founded Humane in 2019, three years before the introduction of ChatGPT triggered a frenzy over AI.
Pundits have expressed doubts about prospects for Ai Pin, saying the smartphone remains a superior device. They point to previous flops like the Google Glass computer headset, Narrative Clip lifelogging camera and Magic Leap augmented reality headset as examples of consumer devices that failed to catch on.
But major tech companies clearly see consumer AI devices as an important, emerging market.
On Sept. 27, social media giant Meta Platforms unveiled the latest generation of its Ray-Bans Meta smart glasses. Wearers can speak to the glasses through Meta AI, Meta's conversational assistant, to receive information in real time. Users also can livestream video from the headset across Facebook and Instagram.
The new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses start at $299 and went on sale on Oct. 17 in 15 countries, including the U.S. and Canada.
Meanwhile, OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman and Apple's former chief design officer, Jony Ive are exploring opportunities to collaborate on building an unspecified artificial intelligence "hardware device," according to The Information and other media reports.
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