Amazon has acquired artificial intelligence startup Bee, which has developed a wearable device that constantly listens to everything you say. Bee co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo announced the deal on LinkedIn, and Amazon confirmed it to TechCrunch, though it noted that it is not yet finalized.
Bee is making two products: an app for the Apple Watch and a standalone Fitbit-like bracelet that costs $49 with a $19-a-month subscription. The device records everything it hears (unless you manually turn it off) to automatically create reminders and to-do lists. The company is also working on a "cloud phone" that would mirror your smartphone and allow Bee's personal assistant to send messages or show you calendar events.
Bee positions its product as a personal, always-present intelligent assistant that helps you remember things and navigate your life. Unlike expensive competitors like the Humane AI Pin (which cost $499), Bee devices are cheaper, making them more accessible for experimentation.
Amazon has confirmed that Bee employees have been offered positions to join its team, signaling the company’s interest in AI devices beyond its Echo speaker lineup. Meanwhile, OpenAI, Meta, and Apple are also working on similar projects.
Bee says it doesn't store audio for AI training, allows users to delete data, and plans to add on-device data processing to reduce privacy risks. But it's unclear whether these policies will remain after the integration into Amazon, which has a controversial reputation for handling personal data.