Detailed explanation of "AI Pin": a wearable device that subverts the tradition and does not require a screen

Two former Apple employees promise that their “AI Pin” will completely change the way we interact with the internet. But what exactly is an “AI Pin”?

For years, tech companies have been working to create a wearable device that would “kill” or replace smartphones. The reasons for this are manifold, but overall the idea is to usher in the next generation of "it" devices, one that will prove to be as ubiquitous and indispensable as the phone, while delivering on convenience and Functionally it surpasses it. This often leads to inventions that make computing more accessible. Countless efforts to strap devices to users’ heads, like Google’s Glass or Meta’s ramshackle array of “virtual world” products, have been accompanied by more dystopian projects, like Elon Musk’s chip Creepy dreams implanted directly into the brain.

The future of technology may lie in a device that is the opposite of Google Glass, one that no longer makes screen time obtrusive and omnipresent, but gets rid of screens altogether

This is the “AI Pin” developed by Humane, Inc., a technology startup founded by two former Apple employees. The company, which has significant financial backing from big names like OpenAI and Microsoft, has been promoting its new device for months, promising that it will change our relationship with computing forever. The device is finally scheduled to go on sale next week on November 9th. But what is it? Does the product description really live up to the high-profile rhetoric surrounding it?

What is "AI Pin"?

Simply put, "AI Pin" is a mini laser projector that can be clipped to the front of clothing. However, you may be wondering why you need such a device? Although it does not need to be connected to a mobile phone or computer, the "AI Pin" can make calls, surf the Internet, answer various questions, and become a unique virtual assistant and communication device. The device has no screen, but uses laser projection to project call information and data onto the palm of your hand, reminiscent of the holographic transmitter in "Star Trek"

Humane’s “AI Pin” is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip and runs a proprietary large-scale language model powered by OpenAI’s most powerful generative algorithm, GPT-4. It's also equipped with a microphone, a camera, and a bunch of sensors that allow it to interact with the world, collect data, and answer your questions as you go about your daily life.

This device is the work of Humane co-founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongioro, both former Apple employees and couple. Choudhury has been one of the key architects of some of Apple's key product features, such as the iPhone's "slide to unlock" gesture, while Bongiorno, a former software engineering director, has held management positions, often helping bring those products to market. The couple left Apple in 2017 and founded Humane a year later. Since then, the pair have been hard at work developing the "AI Pin," claiming it will be the first of many new products aimed at transforming personal technology.

At this point, you're probably saying to yourself: This all sounds really weird and interesting, but what on earth is it? In a TED Talk in May this year, Chowdhury explained the device’s appeal this way:

It interacts with the world just like you interact with the world, hearing what you hear and seeing what you see, all while staying private and secure and fully integrated into the context of your life. An experience we call “screenless,” “seamless,” and “inductive,” allowing you to enjoy computing power while maintaining a sense of your surroundings

Frankly, the idea of ​​owning a device that can significantly reduce screen time every day is very appealing. Like many of us, we have a poor relationship with our phones, often thinking, “Oh my God, I wish I could throw this thing away and never look at it again.” The report notes that this is one of the goals of the Humane team: Eliminate or at least significantly reduce your users’ screen time. Still, when we first heard about the "AI Pin," I thought Chaudhry and Bongiorno were just redefining the experience of owning a phone, albeit one that incorporated a data-gathering monitoring device that never turned off

"AI Pin" does much more than just make and receive calls. The device's developers claim it can also answer questions, provide personalized recommendations on areas such as eating, shopping and travel, read emails and stay informed through notifications and reminders. The company plans to integrate “AI Pin” with a broader ecosystem of IoT devices and software, enabling full interoperability between the digital and physical worlds

It is this so-called innovation that inspired Humane to position the "AI Pin" as a luxury product - similar to the iPhone in status and price range. According to the Information, the price is expected to be around $1,000.

Rewritten content: Privacy protection function

If the novelty and promise of the screen hardware were not appealing, then it's obvious that there could be a lot of problems with this product. First, the idea of ​​carrying a recording device with you can be intimidating. In fact, without the proper privacy protections in place, "AI Pins" could become a complete privacy nightmare. Still, Humane claims they've integrated a lot of privacy features into the device to make it less disturbing. One of the features is a so-called "trust light" that lights up when the device's microphone, camera or sensors are activated. The company also said that the "AI Pin" will not continue to be turned on in the background like Alexa, but will only start when you activate it

In other words, if Humane wants to gain our approval, it must be more transparent. So far, the company has not disclosed what will happen to the data collected by the devices, where it will be stored, whether it will be sold, or anything else users would want to know. Meanwhile, if Humane's ambitions for massive IoT integration and massive data collection are to be believed, the product could become a cybercriminal's dream factory — a one-stop shop for stealing virtually all of your most sensitive data. information

The content that needs to be rewritten is: OpenAI connection

Commentators point out that Humane faces considerable competition, including from its own investors. As the startup works to launch the "AI Pin," competitors are launching other similar products. These include the new Rewind AI pendant priced at $59, which is more affordable than Humane expected, but according to reports, its functionality is also significantly less powerful than the "AI Pin". Meanwhile, one of Humane's major investors, Sam Altman, appears to be in talks with iPhone designer Jony Ive to create a mysterious new project that's been dubbed Called "new artificial intelligence hardware device". This complicates the situation because Altman is reportedly Humane's largest shareholder. In other words, competition may even come from its biggest backers. Overall, Humane faces an uphill battle if it hopes to become the leader in automated wearables for the foreseeable future

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