In a recent video update, Humane co-founders Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri shared exciting news about their highly anticipated AI wearable device, Ai Pin. The founders provided details on shipping timelines and gave an in-depth overview of the device's powerful features that aim to revolutionize how we interact with technology.
Ai Pin, the first multimodal wearable device from Humane, is set to begin shipping from the factory at the end of March. Bongiorno revealed that priority orders will start arriving to customers on April 11th, with all orders being fulfilled throughout the month. New orders placed today are expected to be delivered in early May.
During the video, Bongiorno demonstrated the wide range of capabilities of Ai Pin using the final hardware and software that will be shipping to customers. The device allows users to easily ask it to remember schedules, make lists, take notes, and search the web for information. It can even provide personalized recommendations by remembering user preferences.
Ai Pin boasts handy communication features that enable users to send messages and make phone calls in a seamless, hands-free manner. The device's ability to capture photos and videos with simple gestures further enhances its utility in everyday life.
Chaudhri highlighted the device's new vision feature, which helps users understand and make decisions using advanced image recognition capabilities. By simply looking at an object and asking a question, Ai Pin can provide relevant information, such as the release date of a vintage Walkman or the designer of a pair of shoes.
Additionally, Humane is working on exciting updates to further enhance the experience, such as gesture-based unlocking, Google Calendar integration, and the introduction of "agents" – smart helpers that can assist users with tasks like web browsing and providing real-time information.
Looking ahead, Humane says it plans to release a three-phase SDK that will enable developers to connect their services to Ai Pin, integrate with Cosmos Cloud AI services, and eventually run code directly on the device itself.
Maginative's Take
First, it's worth acknowledging the improvements Humane has made in their presentation. The energy and clarity in the demonstration are notable enhancements over their original launch video, providing a clearer picture of how the AI Pin intends to function in users' daily lives. This shift in presentation style is commendable and suggests that Humane is responsive to feedback and committed to refining their message. However, despite these improvements, concerns about the device's practicality and necessity remain.
Firstly, in an era where speed is of the essence, the latency observed in response times during the demo may frustrate users accustomed to the near-instantaneous feedback from their current devices. It was just bizarre watching the prolonged pauses and awkward interruptions as they asked questions. This lag, albeit minor, highlights a critical challenge in delivering the seamless experience that modern users demand.
Furthermore, while Chaudhri emphasizes that the Ai Pin is not meant to replace smartphones but rather to introduce new ways of interacting with technology, this claim invites scrutiny. Many of the demonstrated features, such as scheduling, web searching, messaging, and even making calls, are tasks that existing smartphone assistants and conversational AI platforms handle with ease (and handsfree). This overlap leads one to question the unique value proposition of the AI Pin, especially when weighed against the convenience and capability of current smartphones, computers, headphones, and smartwatches.
Perhaps the most revealing moment in the video was Chaudhri's mention of plans to make their AI operating system, CosmOS, available on other devices and in the cloud. I do think their AI OS could offer much more value than Ai Pin hardware. In fact, they should consider offering CosmOS as an open source "AI-powered OS for ambient computing devices." Now that would be interesting!
Finally, the most significant concern remains the device's pricing. At $699, plus a $24 monthly subscription fee, AI Pin will likely struggle to attract a wide customer base, especially with more affordable AI-powered devices like Rabbit's R1 already on the market, and new flagship smartphones with AI deeply integrated becoming more mainstream.
So while Humane's latest video provides a clearer picture of Ai Pin's capabilities, it still leaves room for skepticism regarding the device's practicality, uniqueness, and overall value. As the company moves forward with shipping and further develops its AI operating system, it will be crucial for them to address these concerns and demonstrate how the device can truly revolutionize the way we interact with technology.