A Silicon Valley startup with a star-studded list of co-founders and executives is finally ready to unveil its long-awaited product. Humane, founded by former Apple design and engineering experts Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, released a $699 device on Thursday to bring cutting-edge artificial intelligence to a lapel near you.
The Ai Pin, as it’s called, is designed to be worn on clothing and can be tapped to talk to a virtual assistant powered by technologies from ChatGPT-creator OpenAI and cloud computing power from Microsoft (MSFT.O). The device doesn’t have a traditional screen but relies on a laser projection system to display text and monochromatic images. It can also perform tasks like composing messages in the user’s tone of voice, scanning objects or photos for nutritional information, and summarizing a cluttered email inbox, The Information reported on Tuesday.
But the Ai Pin isn’t just about AI: It’s about helping users reduce their dependence on screens and providing helpful information and interactions without requiring a smartphone app or another connected device. The Ai Pin has many sensors that recognize gestures, natural language commands, and contextual and ambient compute interactions to do this.
The Ai Pin can even be a remote control for smart home devices. It can turn on your lights, adjust your thermostat, connect to a TV, set reminders and to-do lists, and let you know what time it is outside. It can also track your physical activity and inform you of your daily steps and burned calories.
Humane has forged strategic partnerships with industry leaders to make its vision of a wearable AI assistant come to life. The company’s technology will be integrated with Qualcomm Technologies Inc., TIDAL, T-Mobile US, OpenAI, and others. This will help ensure that the AI Pin continues to grow and improve over time, allowing it to operate as a standalone entity without requiring pairing with a smartphone or other companion devices.
The company is taking pre-orders now for the Ai Pin, which will be available for purchase starting November 16. Humane has raised $241 million from investors, including Microsoft’s Sam Altman and the founder of OpenAI.
For now, Humane is keeping many of the Ai Pin’s features under wraps, but the company said it will release details little by little before the final launch. The Ai Pin will be a two-part wearable, with a small square-shaped central unit and a magnetically attachable battery pack that contains the laser projection system. It will also include a personal speaker and a high-resolution camera. Humane will offer a cellular service through T-Mobile, and users can get their unique phone number for a flat monthly fee of $24. For those who want to be the first to try out the Ai Pin, the company is allowing people to sign up for a waitlist.