Humane AI Pin: Will technology powered by AI turn out to be more than just a novelty?

The number of AI tools and software has increased dramatically over the last year, but in the next months, additional AI hardware will also be released. But for me, I’m just curious as to whether any of it will go beyond novelty.

In general, AI doesn’t require specialized hardware. Using a smartphone app or website is one of the easiest methods to make use of generative AI. But that’s only predicated on what we’ve observed thus far. Beyond that, though, businesses developing their own AI solutions have more opportunities since they can provide more sophisticated experiences than those available on current smartphone operating systems.

We anticipate the release of three of those AI hardware products in the upcoming months. The Humane AI Pin was the first to be announced in 2023.

With the help of its Android-based platform and AI services, this device, which is worn on your shirt or jacket, can monitor and respond to inquiries using a camera and microphone. In addition to voice instructions, users may also interact with the program by using a laser projector on the front, which projects light onto your hand and detects movements and gestures.

I had the opportunity to see this incredible concept firsthand at MWC 2024. Although I had doubts about Humane’s claims before, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw them in person. The projector’s brightness and the hardware‘s fit and finish both exceeded my expectations, and the ideas that were suggested were truly helpful. Humane reassured me that this device wasn’t merely copying stuff from ChatGPT and other sources, despite my initial concerns. A multimodal AI would respond to your inquiries and the camera, providing you with succinct and helpful information.

Subsequently, there is the Rabbit R1, a little gadget featuring a camera, microphones, and speakers. This is a much smaller, more portable device that performs many of the same functions. It can respond to queries you pose by using both the camera and that information. Beyond that, though, the product mostly depends on “LAMs,” or large action models, to carry out tasks on your behalf. Rabbit makes some bold claims here, suggesting that the LAMs could be able to perform tasks as complex as scheduling a carpool. However, since the product is still in development, we are unsure of its exact capabilities.

Then there’s Brilliant Labs’ The Frame. This set of smart eyewear combines artificial intelligence with a heads-up display. Similar to the AI Pin, the concept revolves around asking questions and using the on-device camera to provide insightful answers. In contrast to Humane and Rabbit, which rely on LTE connections to function, this gadget simply links with your phone to maintain connectivity.

I saw the device in action last month during a brief video call demo, and while I believe the teasers have overstated the capabilities of the display, the functionality at least appears to be comparable to these other devices.

However, I can’t help but question if these gadgets will end up being helpful in the long term. And, more precisely, whether they will truly prove to be more beneficial than the cellphones that we all currently use and will continue to carry.

In my opinion, The Frame has the greatest potential out of all of them. It operates largely “in the background” and isn’t attempting to take the place of your phone. It just remains on your face, poised to engage and provide information without interfering with your current task. This is almost what the Humane AI Pin does, but in my opinion, the projector is too complicated for practical use, even though it is quite cool.

In my opinion, the Rabbit R1 completely misses the mark because it is too comparable to a standard phone.

And there’s the matter of cost. The Humane AI Pin costs an absurd $800, not including the monthly membership. At $200, Rabbit R1 is close to being an impulse purchase, and The Frame halves the $350 price difference. The only company that needs to demonstrate why their gadget is more than just a fun toy is Humane.

However, even accounting for the costs, I find it difficult to comprehend the existence of AI hardware items such as these. They’re just doing things differently; they’re not doing anything radically different.

You should check out YouTuber Dave2D’s recent video on the subject, in which he truly hit the mark.

After all of this settles, I believe that some of the concepts from these gadgets will find their way into AI gear that will someday make sense to use in conjunction with a smartphone. However, for the time being? To put it mildly, I have my doubts.

Humane AI Pin, Rabbit R1, and Frame will likely delivered this month; AI Pin will begin shipping the following week. However, it should be noted that AI Pin and R1 were initially supposed to ship in March. It’s all right, I promise.