One of the highlights of my MWC so far has been speaking to Bethany Bongiorno, one of the co-founders and the CEO of Humane, the company behind the Humane AI Pin.
She took me through a live demo of the device, but first and foremost, Bongiorno confirmed that the company is looking into launching Humane’s AI Pin in Canada. She didn’t mention pricing or exactly when it might arrive here, but there’s definitely interest from the company in bringing one of the coolest AI gadgets I’ve ever seen to the North.
During the live demo, Bongiorno explained that this device isn’t meant to replace your smartphone because you’ll still need it for media consumption. Instead, the AI Pin aims to help you use your smartphone less. Instead of pulling out your phone when you want to check the weather, look for directions or even take a picture, the idea is that you use the AI Pin. Bongiorno even used it to text her daughter and ask how her day was going, and with the help of AI, she stylized her question to Shakespearian.
The device isn’t really all that noticeable when you’re wearing it, which is great since it’s designed to be attached to your shirt all day. During the demo, I encountered a couple of stutters while projecting the screen on my hand, but with a tap, it corrected itself. This issue wouldn’t be that noticeable in day-to-day use, but it was a little glaring during the demo session.
Speaking of projecting images, Bongiorno demoed the camera experience by taking a picture of me and the other journalist I was with. The AI Pin features a built-in 13-megapixel camera. However, the device doesn’t feature a display; you just look at the projected picture to confirm it was taken properly and your eyes aren’t closed in it.
I also watched the AI Pin translate from English to Japanese in real-time and then display the Japanese characters on Bongiorno’s hand. However, Bongiorno noted that the AI Pin would know to start translating from Spanish to English when she was in Barcelona. Further, the device can also display different methods of getting to the airport in Barcelona in the morning. Generally, everything Bongiorno showed me was quick and smooth; besides the few stutters I mentioned, the AI Pin worked great.
Further, similar to the Google Assistant, the device supports a continued conversation-like feature, so if you ask what the weather is like, you can continue by saying, “And what should I wear?”
Even though a camera is always attached to your clothing, its lights are far more noticeable than on the Meta Ray Bans, and the microphone isn’t always listening, which is a nice touch that addresses at least some of the privacy concerns surrounding the AI Pin.
Regarding specs, the Humane AI pin weighs 34.2g, offers 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.
The AI Pin currently costs $699 USD (roughly $948 CAD) and requires a $24.99 ($33.90 CAD) monthly subscription. This gives you free phone chatting and unlimited data and queries. You’ll have a different phone number, but access to Humane’s network and the ability to leave your phone at home. It’s likely that to bring the AI Pin to Canada, Humane would need to forge a partnership with a Canadian carrier.
After reading this brief hands-on, I know most people are likely thinking that the AI Pin is just a pricey gimmick. While there is probably a lot of truth to that perspective, it’s still pretty cool, and I see how it could help cut down on the number of devices you use and, in turn, screen time. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to touch the device or wear it myself, but expect a review on MobileSyrup in the coming months.
