Humane AI Pin
Humane spent months providing demos and giving hints about what its gadgets would look like. The company finally unveiled its first device called the AI pin.
It is a wearable pin that costs $699. It is a square device with a battery pack that can be attached to your clothes magnetically.
Apart from paying the one-time fee of $699, there is a monthly fee of $24. This monthly fee is for your phone number and data coverage. It gets coverage through the T-Mobile’s network.
You cannot pre-order yet. It will start on November 16 and shipping will commence in 2024.
What The Device Can Do?
It can take photos. It can also send texts. To project a visual interface onto your palm, the device uses a laser. It also comes with a virtual assistant.
You can use it to search the web or communicate with your colleagues. Because of how it works, it is said to help you minimize your dependency on your smartphones.
This device is one of the wearable devices that will launch in the coming months. It is built around ChatGPT-like AI services.
Will be socially acceptable? That is a huge question that can’t be answered for now. However, many people think that this edgy wearable is more like a toy for enthusiasts than a device that can be used regularly.
It is also too early to say whether or not this device can help you live more in the moment. Some people think that it may only provide a new way to be obsessed with technology.
The Mass Appeal
The founders of Humane are confident of the device’s mass appeal. They call it the first contextual computer.
When Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudri founded the company in 2018, they had set strict parameters for their product. That is, they want to develop a standalone device that you can connect to the cell network. They also want the device to be transparent about when it is recording.
Furthermore, they want the entire device to be affordable.
They also think that wearable devices in the past are barriers to human connection. That’s why they made the Pin to be less invasive. Despite that, it is just as capable. That is, it is something that people can wear throughout the day without having to ruin their hairdo.
The company raised $230 million in funding. Investors include Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. He holds the largest outside stake. Other investors include Microsoft, Marc Benioff, LG, Volvo, and Qualcomm.
After you have ordered the Pin, you can log into a website to sync your contacts and sign up for services, such as music. You can use the device’s camera to scan a code. Humane promised that your data will not be used to train its AI systems.
The device is as small as a cigarette packet that you can clip into your clothing. It is small but other people will still notice it.
