According to a LinkedIn post by Bee co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo, Amazon has acquired the AI wearables startup Bee.
TechCrunch was informed of the acquisition by Amazon; however, the transaction has not yet been finalized.
Bee, which raised $7 million last year, produces an Apple Watch app and a standalone bracelet that resembles a Fitbit (priced at $49.99 with a $19-per-month subscription).
The objective of the product is to listen to conversations to generate reminders and to-do lists for the user, unless the user manually mutes it. The product records all sounds it receives.
Last year, Zollo disclosed to TechCrunch that the organization intends to establish a “cloud phone,” a replica of one’s smartphone. This device would grant the personal Bee device access to the user’s accounts and notifications, enabling the user to receive event reminders or transmit messages.
“We think every individual should have the opportunity to access a personal, ambient intelligence that functions more as a trusted companion than a tool.” Bee asserts on its website that it is a tool that facilitates the process of reflection, memory, and movement through the world.
Rabbit and Humane AI are among the companies that have attempted to develop AI-enabled wearables similar to this one but have not achieved significant success thus far.
However, Bee’s devices are more affordable for an inquisitive consumer who hesitates to make a significant financial commitment, with a price point of $50. (The Humane AI Pin, which was ultimately unsuccessful, cost $499.)
TechCrunch was informed by an Amazon spokesperson that offers were extended to Bee employees to join Amazon.
This acquisition indicates Amazon’s interest in developing peripheral AI devices, a distinct segment of its product line that differs from its voice-controlled home assistants, such as the Echo speakers.
OpenAI, the manufacturer of ChatGPT, is currently developing its own AI hardware, while Meta is incorporating its AI into its smart eyewear. It has been reported that Apple is also developing brilliant spectacles powered by AI.
These products are associated with numerous security and privacy risks, as they constantly record their surroundings. The processing, storage, and utilization of voice recordings for AI training will differ among companies.
Bee states in its current privacy policies that users can delete their data anytime and that audio recordings are not retained, stored, or used for AI training. However, the AI’s ability to function as an assistant is facilitated by the app’s storage of data that it acquires about the user.
Bee had previously stated that it intended to record the utterances of individuals who have verbally consented. Bee also announced that it is developing a feature enabling users to establish boundaries, including those based on location and topic, which will automatically halt the device’s learning process.
The company intends to implement on-device AI processing, which generally presents a lower privacy risk than cloud-based processing.
However, whether these policies will be altered as Bee is integrated into Amazon is uncertain. Amazon has a varied track record regarding managing user data from its customers’ devices.
In the past, Amazon shared footage with law enforcement from the personal Ring security cameras of individuals without the owner’s consent or a warrant.
In 2023, Ring also resolved allegations that employees and contractors had unrestricted access to customers’ videos, which the Federal Trade Commission brought.
