Humane, the secretive hardware startup founded by former Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, has finally unveiled details about its first product, the Humane Ai Pin. The company has been shrouded in secrecy since its founding in 2018, recruiting numerous ex-Apple employees with expertise in areas such as the iPhone’s touchscreen keyboard and Apple’s design and infrastructure.
The Humane Ai Pin, which was demonstrated by Chaudhri during a TED Talk in April, is a wearable device that features a projected display and AI-powered capabilities. It leverages a range of sensors to enable contextual and ambient compute interactions. Designed to be clipped to a breast pocket, the Ai Pin can perform many smartphone-like tasks with fewer gestures and voice commands. Users can tap the device to access email and calendar summaries, make phone calls, and even translate languages.
Equipped with a camera and computer vision software, the Ai Pin can also recognize objects around it, such as food nutrition labels. Additionally, it incorporates a built-in projector and depth sensor, allowing for the projection of an interactive interface onto nearby surfaces like hands or tables.
Humane has partnered with Qualcomm to develop the internal hardware of the Ai Pin. The wearable will be powered by an as-yet-unnamed chip from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series. The company is expected to release more information about the device later this year.
Qualcomm’s SVP of product management, Ziad Asghar, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with Humane, stating that the Ai Pin will offer a superior AI experience by leveraging the strengths of on-device AI and providing real-time contextual information for personalized use cases.
Humane previously announced partnerships with SK Networks and Microsoft to bring its platform and services to market. Microsoft will provide the cloud processing power, while SK Networks will handle distribution. The startup is also collaborating with OpenAI to integrate its technology into the Ai Pin, and LG is working on R&D projects to further develop Humane’s tech for smart home devices. Volvo is exploring a potential collaboration with Humane in the automotive industry.
With over 200 employees based in San Francisco, Humane has raised $230 million from investors including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, Kindred Ventures, SK Networks, LG Technology Ventures, Microsoft, Volvo Cars Tech Fund, Tiger Global, Qualcomm Ventures, and OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman.
The Humane Ai Pin aims to revolutionize personal mobile computing by offering a seamless, screenless, and sensing experience. It represents an opportunity for individuals to have AI capabilities with them at all times. As the launch of the device approaches, users can anticipate a new era of AI-powered personal computing.
