Ai Pin: Unveiling Human’s Bold Venture Beyond Smartphones

In November of last year, former Apple executives, the husband-and-wife duo Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri, unveiled the first device from their startup “Human.” The wearable device is called “Ai Pin” and features a plastic badge equipped with a camera, chips, and sensors. Control of many Ai Pin functions is achieved through voice commands.

A promotional video showed the couple, directed by a Buddhist monk named Brother Spirit, presenting some features and specifications of the device. Another video demonstrated people using Ai Pin in everyday situations like walking on the street, shopping, and dining. However, some features in the demo seem somewhat shaky, according to Business Insider correspondent Katie Notopoulos.

The device’s features appear somewhat science fiction-like, with artificial intelligence answering your questions through a small clip on your shirt. This is currently one of the main attractions of Ai Pin. The most astonishing feature is the small laser screen that can appear in your hand and respond to hand gestures. It’s the size of a golf ball, so perhaps you won’t be attaching it to your shirt.

Many functions of the device are controlled through voice commands. Users must speak audibly to send messages, chat with artificial intelligence, answer questions, summarize text messages, translate languages, and play music. It also features a camera that can look at things and tell you about them, which might be awkward in public places.

The New York Times declared it the “big and bold bet on science fiction” in Silicon Valley for what comes after the smartphone. However, while providing a device to break free from smartphone addiction is an interesting goal, it’s hard to imagine giving up your phone for a $699 pin that also requires a monthly subscription fee of $24.

A review by The Verge, a US-based technology site, noted, “It (Ai Pin) violates the main rule of good wearable design: you have to want to wear the damn thing.” Ai Pin is stylish but, so far, lacks the allure of a compelling screen.