The long-awaited AI device is here. Humane has finally unveiled the device called the Ai Pin, its new AI-powered pocket-size wearable that you can attach to your clothes. It has been designed to keep smartphone out of your hands.
Ai Pin is a standalone device and does not need to be paired with a smartphone or other companion device. The high-tech device is designed to be fastened to a shirt. You can use voice, touch gestures to interact. The Ai Pin, can take photos, send texts, and search the web. Since there is no screen, it uses a laser to project a visual interface onto your palm.
“Ai Pin is the embodiment of our vision to integrate AI into the fabric of daily life, enhancing our capabilities without overshadowing our humanity,” the startup’s co-founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno said. “We are proud to finally unveil what we and the team at Humane have been working on for the past four years. For us, Ai Pin is just the beginning.”
Key features
- Humane’s new artificial intelligence pin has been designed to stop all the scrolling. Its laser ink display projects a small display onto your palm, allowing interaction through gestures for tasks such as playing music or reading emails.
- Equipped with a camera, depth and motion sensors, and a microphone, the Ai Pin records surroundings and listen to voice commands.
- The AI-powered device relies on a voice assistant to do most of what you can do on your smartphone — caller ID recognition, web queries, translation, playing music, summarize your emails, all with the help of Humane’s own operating system called Cosmos.
Price and subscription plan
The Ai Pin will be available at $699, plus $24 monthly for unlimited calling, texting, and data through dedicated cell phone number. The $699 complete system includes the device, two battery boosters, a charge pad, a charge case, a cable and an adapter. The subscription comes with cloud storage and full access to Humane’s suite of AI-powered services.
The company said that the device will start shipping in early 2024 and that preorders begin November 16.
Ai Pin specs
- Ai Pin runs on a Snapdragon processor with a dedicated Qualcomm AI Engine, enabling fast performance needed for AI interactions.
- It is equipped with an ultra-wide RGB camera, depth sensor and motion sensors.
- It has a ‘personic speaker’ that creates a bubble of sound, offering both intimacy and volume.
- Humane says its AI-powered device is built on a foundation of trust and privacy. The device only activates upon user engagement, ensuring it is not always listening or recording.
Humane collaborates with OpenAI and Microsoft
Humane has collaborated with both Microsoft and OpenAI, enabligng some of the world’s most powerful AI models and platforms on Ai Pin. Some reports suggested that the Pin was powered by GPT-4.
“We believe in a future where artificial intelligence amplifies human potential, and Humane shares this vision. We’re proud to be partnering with them to harness AI and redefine how we interact with technology — and the world,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.
Eric Boyd, CVP AI Platform, Microsoft said that the “Collaboration with Humane embodies Azure’s dedication to empowering transformative ideas. Humane’s innovative approach to technology aligns perfectly with our mission to enable and support game-changing solutions.”
Humane — a secretive AI startup founded by ex-Apple employees
Humane was founded in 2018 by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, husband and wife co-founders who are former Apple employees. Chaudhri serves as chairman and president at Humane, and was previously a director of design on the Apple human interface team. Bongiorno serves as Humane’s CEO and previously worked on the software engineering side at Apple. Humane’s chief technology officer is Patrick Gates also previously at Apple as senior director of engineering.
For years, Humane operated as a ‘secretive startup,’ keeping its work shrouded in mystery as Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno worked on a futuristic device with reduced reliance on screens. Their creation was finally unveiled their creation in November 2023. The device made its debut at the Coperni’s Paris Fashion Week show after five years of discreet development.
To date, Humane has raised $230 million from existing and previous investors, including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as well as Microsoft, Volvo and LG. Its workforce has grown to 200 employees now.
