The Humane startup has released its first device, called Ai Pin. It’s built around the Cosmos software platform, which leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) for everyday tasks. Ai Pin will be available for pre-order in the US starting November 16 for $699 and will require a $24 monthly phone subscription and data coverage on T-Mobile.

The device has a rounded body shape and is designed to be worn on clothing. It is relatively compact and has a magnetic system for attachment, thanks to which an additional battery can also be connected to the Ai Pin.

Humane has developed several variants of this magnetic mount with an additional battery, with a thin panel for T-shirts and blouses, and with a clip for attaching to outerwear.

Ai Pin’s body is made of polished aluminum; the device has no screen but is equipped with several light indicators. To interact with Ai Pin, the user can use voice commands or gestures on the external touch panel covered with Gorilla Glass Victus.

You can receive information via Ai Pin through the device’s external speakers, on Bluetooth 5.1 headphones, or through the built-in 720p projector, which can display notifications directly on the user’s hand. The latter method is also used for control, for example, to switch between music tracks or confirm that a message has been sent.

For reading information and taking photos, Ai Pin has a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with a 120-degree viewing angle, 5-element lens, f/2.4 aperture, and electronic stabilization. Accordingly, it will not be very good for shooting on the go. At the time of the announcement, the camera does not support video recording, but Humane promises to add support for it closer to the start of delivery.

Given the size of the case, Humane had to pack the Ai Pin components quite tightly, so the device doesn’t use the latest flagship components. It uses an unnamed 2.1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of internal eMMC memory. It supports 3G and LTE networks, Wi-Fi 5, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and Wi-Fi positioning.

However, Ai Pin doesn’t seem to require a powerful platform, as the main computations for artificial intelligence are performed on Humane servers. The company does not disclose the capacity of the built-in and additional battery, indicating that they should be enough for a full day of work.

The Ai Pin is charged via a magnetic connector and the included case, which also contains an additional battery for quick recharging of the device’s battery.

In terms of privacy, the AI Pin is not designed to be continuously recorded or eavesdropped on. Instead, it requires manual activation via the touch panel, and LED “trust indicators” indicate when the device is working.

The main function of the Ai Pin is to connect to artificial intelligence models using software called AI Mic, and Humane’s press release mentions Microsoft and OpenAI as the main partners for this functionality. The device works primarily on GPT-4, and access to ChatGPT is one of its main features. Its Cosmos operating system is designed to automatically process requests without the need to download and manage programs.

Humane’s vision for AI Pin is to simplify the user interface by eliminating the need for screens, settings, and account management. The device responds to user commands or touches, performing tasks automatically.

AI Pin’s capabilities include voice messages and calls, mailbox processing, providing nutritional information based on food images, and real-time translation. It is expected that future updates will add navigation and shopping capabilities, and developers will be able to create additional tools.

Humane sees the AI Pin as the beginning of a large project, anticipating that the device will evolve as the underlying AI models improve. The company hopes that, just like smartphones, AI Pin will revolutionize the user experience by improving hardware and developing new features.