A few hours after the significant announcement earlier today, Humane hosted a small group of media representatives. The facility serves as the headquarters for the company’s hardware design teams and is located in a modest building in the SoMa district of San Francisco.
The electrical executive team operates from an adjacent room directly across the street, while Humane’s product engineers are situated in an office nearby. Although the majority of the 250 employees are located in San Francisco, the company also maintains an office in New York.
A considerable section of the space is currently dedicated to several demonstration stations (with strict no filming policies) showcasing various Ai Pins in different configurations, exposing their external mechanisms. Prior to exploring these exhibits, Humane’s co-founders sit among a small group of chairs, positioned next to a flat screen illustrating the company’s vision.
During her brief account of the company’s origins, CEO Bethany Bongiorno recounts her initial encounter with president and co-founder Imran Chaudhri on her first day at Apple. The company’s lineage can be traced back to its predecessor firm, where CTO Patrick Gates and approximately 90 other former Apple employees were recruited.
Chaudhri perceives the company’s evolution as a series of S-curves, representing 15-year cycles of technological advancements that pave the way for future innovations. Referring to the smartphone as “16 times matured,” he suggests that “the past century has reached a plateau.” This observation also appears to subtly reference his former employers, who introduced their initial phone in 2007.
Describing Humane’s upcoming product as “a new paradigm, a fresh realm of possibilities,” he elaborates, “It embodies the essence of ‘productizing AI.’” Contrary to cinematic portrayals, the in-person demonstration exudes a more grounded essence. While the rhetoric may be lofty and expansive, framing the lapel-worn device as the next phase in computing evolution that commenced with room-sized mainframes, the discourse shifts to a more practical tone when the device is unveiled before the audience.
The pocket-sized system includes an Android computer and 32GB of internal storage. Featuring a 12-megapixel camera integrated into Humane’s proprietary unit, the device incorporates a range and orientation sensor, along with an accelerometer and gyroscope. Manufactured in California and predominantly assembled in Asia, similar to Apple’s products.
The exterior of the device is dominated by a touchscreen housing most of the internal components, with a unit capable of lasting four to five hours on a single charge. Positioned above this is the light projection system, the most visually striking element, housed within a camera bar. The camera module is angled upwards, designed to accommodate individuals with larger chests, as confirmed by Humane after testing various body types.
The company also revealed that the light projection underwent testing across a spectrum of skin tones to ensure visibility. While artistically captivating, the projections serve as a complementary feature to the device’s core functionality, centered around voice-first technology. By tapping the touchpad, the device scans for a hand gesture in environments where holding the upward-facing speaker may be inconvenient due to noise levels. Once detected, the projection commences.
Chaudhri previously showcased this feature at a TED Talk in May last year. A staged demonstration involving Bongiorno projecting text onto his hand via the wire occurs shortly after. The system responds to gestures, enabling users to navigate through displayed text by pinching their hand, offering rudimentary previews of images captured by the device.
The inclusion of a “battery boost” accessory slightly reduces the weight of the AI Pin, extending its total battery life to approximately nine hours. Additionally, a compact egg-shaped case provides an additional full charge to the device. Both the Pin and the capsule can be magnetically attached via pins on the back of the system for charging purposes. A charging plate for home use is also part of the package.
Bongiorno confirmed an initial shipment of 100,000 units, emphasizing the importance of prudent planning for hardware startups. Over 110,000 individuals have expressed interest in the product, although this figure primarily indicates curiosity rather than confirmed purchases, as no deposit is required. While preorders are currently limited to the United States, the product will be available globally shortly thereafter, with priority access granted to the initial waiting list.
The core of the device revolves around AI technology, positioning it as one of the pioneering hardware products capitalizing on the buzz surrounding generative AI. Since its inception, the company has been closely associated with Sam Altman’s brand, OpenAI. The collaboration between Humane and OpenAI, particularly with GPT models, underscores the strategic partnership driving product innovation.
Chaudhri highlighted the utilization of GPT-4 among other AI systems, emphasizing their adaptability based on specific use cases. The program accesses various online resources, including Wikipedia, and maintains partnerships with key entities such as OpenAI, Microsoft, and Tidal. The platform aims to democratize access to diverse AI capabilities and services, fostering a collaborative ecosystem for innovation.
The objective is to streamline user experiences by integrating LLMs, internet searches, and backend updates seamlessly. The device’s functionality and feature set will evolve continuously, leveraging onboard GPS for contextual enhancements based on user queries and location data.
Photography plays a pivotal role in the device’s capabilities, with a wide-angle onboard camera and advanced image processing algorithms. While the product is still in its nascent stage, meticulous attention to detail and substantial investment are evident. However, the emphasis on aesthetic appeal raises questions about its practical utility, particularly in the realm of health monitoring.
The device’s limited contact with the user’s skin restricts its health monitoring capabilities to basic functions like calorie counting, facilitated by a third-party food identification program. Despite its innovative features, the product’s price point of $699, coupled with an additional monthly subscription for full functionality, may present a barrier to widespread adoption.
Chaudhri elaborated on the unconventional positioning of the device on the neck, diverging from the traditional head-worn displays prevalent in the market. Emphasizing the need for a more intimate computing experience, he underscored the personalized nature of wearable devices and the unique value proposition of Humane’s design philosophy.
