Always-listening AI: can these devices be trusted?

Memory is a fickle thing. You often forget the names of the people you met, your daily tasks, and incidents from your life.

- Ivan Mehta

It is easy to believe that if you remembered all of these things, you would be more productive or have a better social life. A new hoard of AI-powered gadgets wants to tap into that belief and build you a 'second mind'. These new wearables, whether in pendant or wristband form, promise that if you keep them around, allow them to listen to and transcribe your conversations, they will form a long-term memory for you, which you can recall at any point in time. They don't necessarily record all your conversations, but process them in real time to give you insights.

These 'personal AI companions'-gadgets like the Bee Computer, Limitless Pendant, Friend pendant, Plaud AI Pin, Pocket and Omi- may vary in their form factors but perform more or less the same functions. They have microphones that listen to you, transcribe your conversations and provide entertainment such as telling jokes or insights like action items from a meeting. Some of them also allow you to ask questions in natural language, such as "When is my upcoming road trip planned?" or "Who are the people I mentioned in my conversation last afternoon?"

Companies are looking at these combinations of AI and hardware from different lenses, including productivity and companionship. Typically, these companies use a mix of AI models like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google Gemini. For instance, Bee, founded by former Twitter/X employees Maria de Lourdes Zollo and Ethan Sutin, aims to be a personal companion in both capacities. The app, paired with a pill-shaped device that can be used as a wristband or a clip on, automatically lists tasks for you from the transcription, registers new facts about you to know and remember more information, and also shows memories from the past. Friend