AI Wearables Roundup: Pendants, Rings, and Companions
Original: The hottest AI wearables and gadgets you should know about
Why This Matters
Consumer AI hardware is diversifying fast beyond phones and smart speakers.
A wave of AI wearables—including Bee ($49.99), Friend ($129), and Limitless ($99)—aims to embed AI into daily life via recording, transcription, and emotional support features, as Amazon and OpenAI also enter the space.
The AI wearable market is crowding fast. Bee, a $49.99 pendant that records conversations and learns user routines, was acquired by Amazon in July 2025. Amazon has since launched two follow-up devices: the Bee Frontier ($74.99, wrist or clip-on) and the Bee Eclipse ($99.99, a credit-card-sized unit that magnetically attaches to a phone's back). Both connect optionally to Alexa and position Bee as a budget alternative to the Plaud Note lineup. A $19/month iOS app subscription is required for full functionality.
Friend, a $129 Bluetooth pendant, targets emotional support rather than productivity. It listens continuously, detects tone and mood, and sends proactive messages. Its NYC subway ad campaign drew public backlash—ads were vandalized with phrases like 'surveillance capitalism.' The company responded with 'Friend 2.0,' adding a built-in speaker and a more expressive personality.
Limitless (formerly Rewind) offers a $99 pendant focused on professional use: transcribing meetings and calls into searchable summaries. OpenAI is also reportedly working on a compact AI companion device, though details remain limited. The field spans productivity tools, memory aids, and social companions—each staking a different claim on what 'ambient AI' should feel like.