Originating from a San Francisco-based AI firm created by ex-Apple employees, the AI Pin is a small device, akin to the size of a cookie, that fixes to clothing like a lapel through a magnet and boasts a built-in camera for data capture. As a wearable AI assistant, the device is engineered to undertake numerous functions similar to those of current smartphones and smart speakers, hinting at a shift to a future beyond smartphones.
While the launch has sparked considerable enthusiasm and aligns with a growing trend to prioritise AI within new products, concerns have been raised by the disability community.
Critics point out that the company’s failure to address the device’s accessibility for disabled individuals reflects an oversight towards a significant demographic, which numbers approximately 1 billion globally and includes about 40 million in the United States, accounting for 13% of the population.
One such voice is the CEO of Pneuma Solutions, Mike Calvo, who said the following in an upcoming exclusive interview on Double Tap airing Friday 17th November (transcript below video):
Video:
Transcript:
“As a child of the 80s, it brings me back to the words of one Alanis Morrisette, and that is, isn’t it ironic? You know, this company that calls itself Humane, and last time I checked, I am a human, and I am a human with green dollars to spend on their Humane product. Yet I was not included in any, not even the merest of just kind of declarations of, hey, blind people, we didn’t have the time or the energy or the desire to put you front and centre here, but if you want to know what we do for blind people, go to our website, which is totally inaccessible by the way. Dude, it’s 2023! What the hell? It’s 2023 and read the room, bro. Where are we? Who are you talking to? What have you done in your past? It’s like me coming out with a product tomorrow and making, and knowing, and just totally turning my back on our community, and when I’ve dedicated the last almost three decades of my life to doing accessibility.”
With a market price of $699, not including the subscription fees, the AI Pin is anticipated to be released in early 2024. It is anticipated to be an influential development in wearable tech, with the potential to significantly alter the landscape of personal computing devices.
