Humane, start-up founded by ex-Apple veterans, launches Microsoft-backed wearable Ai Pin in bid to replace smartphones

The Ai Pin is designed to be worn on clothing, and users can interact with it using voice and a laser system that projects text on the hand

The US$699 Pin, which also includes a camera, is meant to eventually be a smartphone replacement

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Silicon Valley start-up Humane released its US$699 Ai Pin device on Thursday. Photo: Handout

Published: 10:26am, 10 Nov 2023Updated: 10:27am, 10 Nov 2023

Humane, a Silicon Valley start-up with a star-studded list of co-founders and executives, on Thursday released a US$699 device that aims to bring cutting-edge artificial intelligence to a lapel near you.

The Ai Pin, as the device is called, is designed to be worn on clothing and can be tapped to talk to a virtual assistant powered by technologies from ChatGPT-creator OpenAI and cloud computing power from Microsoft. It uses a laser projection system to display text and monochromatic images on a user’s hand.

Founded by ex-Apple veterans who worked on the iPhone, Humane is one of many companies in Silicon Valley angling to find the next wave of consumer devices.

But the company has emphatically rejected the mixed-reality headsets in the works from companies such as Apple and Meta Platforms, with Humane co-founder and president Imran Chaudhri saying during a demonstration of the Ai Pin earlier this year that “the future is not on your face”.

Instead, Humane is offering a device with no traditional screen that relies almost entirely on artificial intelligence to interact with the user. The Pin’s virtual assistant aims to leapfrog others by composing messages in the user’s tone of voice and offers a “Catch Me Up” feature to summarise a messy email inbox.

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