Former Apple Executives Set to Launch New AI-Based Consumer Product
According to The Wall Street Journal, Humane, a new startup firm created by former Apple executives Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, is set to release a new AI-based consumer product this spring. The firm completed a third funding round, bringing in $100 million, after collecting $130 million during the first two rounds.
Partners and Patents
Humane boasts a couple of significant partners that include Microsoft and ChatGPT creator OpenAI. Microsoft is also a big investor in OpenAI, and integrating ChatGPT into Bing has already taken the search engine’s active daily users count to 100 million. Although it is unclear what kind of product Humane is working on, some patents indicate that the device will be a wearable. The device could reportedly project a display on your hand that users can interact with.
2021 Investor Pitch Deck
The 2021 investor pitch deck from Humane, shared by John Gruber of Daring Fireball, mentions an always-on AI-connected camera that saves images to the cloud. The device uses LiDAR and Time of Flight streams to respond quickly to questions such as “What kind of car is this?” when the camera is pointed at an automobile. The camera can also answer several other questions, including “Which building is this?” “Will this fit my wife?” “How much did I eat today?” and “How much is this on Amazon?” Although it is not known whether the device needs a smartphone to operate, the camera feed can enhance live streams being broadcast via smartphone apps like Instagram and Snapchat.
Key Players
Mr. Chaudhri was once Apple’s former director of design for the company’s human interface team. This team focuses on the user experiences of Apple devices. Ms. Bongiorno was a director for Apple’s operating system. Another Humane employee, Patrick Gates, is a former senior director of engineering at Apple.
Potential Successor to iPhone?
While it may be too early to determine whether the device can replace the iPhone considering limited information about it, it may be a possible successor to the rumored AR-powered Apple Glasses, which have long been considered a possible replacement for the iPhone.
