Meet Imran Chaudhri, former Apple executive aiming to replace smartphones with tiny AI gadget

Admin November 21, 2023

By Livemint

Humane, founded by former Apple executives Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, has launched its first wearable device, Ai Pin, which integrates AI into daily life and enhances human capabilities.

Imran Chaudhri and wife Bethany Bongiorno, founders of AI startup Humane.

San Francisco-based startup Humane has unveiled its much-anticipated artificial intelligence-based gadget - Ai Pin. Humane is a San Francisco-based startup founded by former Apple executives Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno.

Who is Imran Chaudhri?

Chaudhri was part of Apple for nearly 20 years and led the design of the iPhone's home screen, while Bongiorno was a software development lead for several of the company's products, including iPhone, iPad and Mac, Bloomberg reported. The couple launched Humane in 2018 and also hired many other Apple employees, including Apple's senior director of engineering Patrick Gates.

Humane is focused on developing the next wave of consumer devices, but the company is looking beyond mixed reality headsets, which are a big focus for industry veterans like Apple and Meta, reported Reuters. Humane president Imran Chaudhri said earlier this year that "the future is not your face".

The AI startup has raised $230 million in funding to date, with its latest Series C round of $100 million closing in March this year. Humane's high-profile investors include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft and Tiger Global Management.

In a statement about the Ai Pin, Chaudhry said, “Ai Pin is the embodiment of our vision to integrate AI into the fabric of daily life, enhancing our capabilities without overshadowing our humanity."

"It is the first wearable device and software platform built to harness the full power of artificial intelligence (AI)". Reuters quoted Chaudhry as saying.

In his Ted Talk, Chaudhri while speaking about the AI Pin said, “This is so much more than devices just getting smaller or more powerful. This is the possibility of reimagining the human-technology relationship as we know it."

What is Ai Pin?

Earlier this week, Sam Altman backed Humane launched its first wearable device - the Ai Pin- that that leverages AI, including OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's cloud computing, to enable virtual assistant interactions.

The Ai Pin is intended to be worn on clothing, allowing users to tap and communicate with a virtual assistant, powered by tech from OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and utilizes cloud computing power from Microsoft. Moreover, the Ai Pin employs a laser projection system to display text and monochromatic images on the user's hand.

Earlier, the Ai Pin was worn by supermodel Noami Cambell during the 2024 Spring Summer Show at the Paris Fashion Week, making her the first person to wear the device in public.