Humane, a Silicon Valley startup with a star-studded list of co-founders and executives, launched a $699 device Thursday that aims to put advanced artificial intelligence on your lapel.
The Ai Pin, as the device is 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. It uses a laser projection system to display text and monochrome images on the user’s hand.
Founded by ex-Apple veterans who worked on the iPhone, Humane is one of many Silicon Valley companies looking to create the next wave of consumer devices. But the company has pointedly dismissed the mixed-reality headsets being worked on by the likes of Apple and Meta Platforms, with Humane co-founder and chairman Imran Chaudhri saying at a demonstration of the Ai Pin earlier this year that “the future is not your face lies.”
Instead, Humane offers a device without a traditional screen that relies almost entirely on artificial intelligence to interact with the user. The Pin’s virtual assistant tries to get ahead of others by composing messages based on the tone of the user’s voice and offers a “Catch Me Up” feature to summarize a cluttered email inbox. The Pin also includes a camera that can take photos or use computer vision to scan objects such as food, allowing the user to get an estimate of its nutritional value.
“Ai Pin is the embodiment of our vision to integrate AI into the fabric of everyday life, expanding our capabilities without overshadowing our humanity,” Chaudhri said in a statement.
The company said the Ai Pin will be available in the United States starting November 16. Humane has raised $241 million from Microsoft, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and others. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
Tags: Wearable Pin launched Humane backed exApple executives Microsoft November
