Future or Fiction: Will AI Pins Replace Smartphones?
Mondo Admin / 21-12-2023 / Tech
Future or Fiction: Will AI Pins Replace Smartphones? Humane AI Pin Is Thinking About a Revolution
Can you imagine swapping your smartphone for a small gadget that clips onto your clothes and turns your hand into a screen using laser projection?
While this may sound like technology straight out of a movie, a new breed of technology has recently hit US shores and is poised for an international release in selected regions next year.
The creators of the Humane Ai Pin envision a tech revolution that could put an end to the reign of smartphones.
But the question is, will you put down your phone for a pin?
A magnetic AI tennis ball
Humane, a start-up AI company based in San Francisco, was founded in 2019 by husband-and-wife duo Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno. Both bring experience from Silicon Valley as former Apple execs, having collectively worked on the Mac, iPod, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch and iOS.
The Ai Pin is the company’s first product launch and the first-ever wearable device and software platform with a screenless form factor. It's a simple square-shaped, two-piece gadget that sticks to your clothing with a magnetic grip. The main computer sits on the front and a battery pack is tucked at the back. It weighs in at just 55 grams—about as heavy as a tennis ball.
Pint-sized powerhouse
Can a pint-sized powerhouse stand up to the mighty smartphone?
Humane Ai Pin is seen as the pioneer of artificial intelligence devices, featuring the sharp-witted voice assistant, Ai Mic. It taps into large learning models, including the likes of ChatGPT (GPT-4), to answer all your questions and perform tasks—from translating face-to-face conversations in real time to scanning your environment for the best places to eat.
It packs plenty more features inside its compact shell, including a 13MP ultra-wide camera, a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, depth sensor and motion sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and a tiny projector called the Laser Ink Display to beam out icons and text onto your palm. Think of the Ai Pin as taking generative AI with you everywhere, allowing the device to see the world as you see it to contextualise your searches.
Going screenless means getting hands-on
To activate the device, use taps, hand gestures and voice commands. For example, snapping a photo is as easy as a double tap with two fingers on the touchpad, and just hovering your palm in front of the device activates the Laser Ink Display. Humane says the Ai Pin is “designed to blend into the background, while bringing the power of AI to you in multi-modal and seamless ways.”
Safe, secure & sceptical
Humane places emphasis on the safety and security of the device, reassuring users that the camera and microphone can only be activated manually with your instruction. It doesn't collect audio-visual data about your environment, your private information isn't monetised or sold to third parties and it isn't used for training their AI models.
Changing the habits of 5.1 billion people?
The big question is; Can the Humane Ai Pin truly kick smartphones to the curb?
To pull off such a feat, it has to disrupt consumer habits in a market slated to hit a whopping 5.1 billion smartphone users by 2028 and completely reshaping how we engage with mobile computing doesn’t happen overnight.
AI is everywhere, but deep pockets aren’t
Both iOS and Android are rapidly integrating advanced AI features in the new wave of smartphones. Plus, heavily leaning on AI in a device when the technology is still evolving introduces its own set of challenges such as misinformation.
Compounding the issues, we can't ignore the fact that the first-generation Ai Pin and similar tech set to follow are simply not socially accepted. Adding to the mix, it comes with a flashy price tag of $699 (around R13,000), not to mention a monthly subscription fee of $24 (around R450) - making it clear that it's exclusively for those with deep pockets.
A fresh interface for those who enjoy tech the most
So, should we even consider replacing smartphones with this type of technology? Well, while the Ai Pin is undeniably a fantastic device, perfect for stepping in for your phone in specific scenarios—especially if you're aiming to reduce screen time, it’s not a replacement, it’s an enhancement. It's pushing the boundaries of what's possible with a fresh interface, but let's face it, it's more likely to catch the eye of tech enthusiasts rather than the general public.
