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With the failure of the Humane AI Pin and the Rabbit R1, you’d think that the AI device market is shriveling up. However, they were just the first wave. A newcomer onto the scene, named Bee AI, is working on a new wearable device that will be like a personal assistant. The way it works is rather ambitious and unconventional.
The thing about the AI Pin and Rabbit R1 is the fact that they fought so hard to replace the smartphone. It’s as if the creators of these devices had some sort of spite towards them. That’s one reason why these devices failed. It’s tough to completely replace a device that’s been inching itself into our lives (and pockets) for 17 years.
However, more companies are learning from the mistakes of the other companies and working on their own ways of bringing AI into the real world.
The Bee AI wearable sounds a bit ambitious
Just like with the other wearables, the Bee AI wearable will perform tasks that will eliminate the need for you to take your phone out of your pocket as often. However, there are no spinning cameras or mini projectors here.
Looking at a picture of the device, it almost looks like a fitness tracker with no screen. You’ll wear it on your wrist, and this is how it will listen to you. From the way it sounds, this device will constantly listen to your conversations to learn about you. That sounds unsettling, but that’s just a surface-level description. Also, you’ll be able to turn off the microphone.
Basically, the AI will be able to give you personal reminders, build lists, and take notes, as noted by TechCrunch. Think of it like wearing a tiny secretary on your wrist. That sounds like a nifty idea, but there are the obvious concerns with privacy. Will the company have something in place to nudge the user and remind them if they’ve had the microphone on for a while?
What does this device have to do with your phone?
This is still a little confusing, but the company wants to essentially create a “cloud phone” for you. It will be a digital phone with access to your notifications and other parts of your phone. This way, it seems, the AI will be able to navigate your system and perform different tasks for you. Imagine having it send a text message for you or posting a tweet.
Now, don’t get flashbacks of the Rabbit R1 because it promised a similar experience. That device was meant to make you leave your phone at home. However, the Bee AI wearable doesn’t seem like it wants to do that. Rather, it looks like a phone companion that you can use when you can’t quite take out your phone. You’ll wear it just like a smartwatch, so it’ll give you that “accessory” feeling.
Say, you’re loaded with work, and you need to send an email to a client confirming information. Well, instead of going through the trouble of writing the email, you might be able to tell the wearable to write it up for you. However, since this device is still in the early stages, we’ll have to wait to see what capabilities it will bring.
Bee is getting attention… and money
Making an AI-powered device is not cheap. We have no idea how much money Humane and Rabbit burned on their devices. It seems that the Bee wearable won’t be as expensive to build as the two aforementioned devices, but it will be substantially cheaper to buy, with a target price of $49. So, In any case, the company’s CEO Maria de Lourdes Zollo along with her husband, CTO Ethan Sutin have been hunting for funding for this venture.
Venture capitalists like Greycroft, New Wave VC, Banana Capital, and Brian Bedol have invested money in the brand. So far, Bee was able to raise more than $7 million in funding. The company is going to need a lot more money to bring this device to the market, but the company is confident in its vision. Right now, there’s an iOS app in production, but we’re sure that an Android app will follow.