When I recently wrote about the most noteworthy AI gadgets of 2024, I couldn’t help but wonder if the tech industry was nearing the limit of what’s possible with AI. But just a few weeks into 2025, the answer is already a resounding “no”—there is no limit in sight. Indeed, what we can achieve with AI seems unbounded, as the recent CES 2025 event in Las Vegas proved. New AI products were unveiled, showcasing astonishing features and making unbelievable promises, practically taken out of a Black Mirror episode. Omi: the mind reader One of the most surprising form factors came from Omi, a round white puck designed to be worn as a pendant—or, eerily reminiscent of Black Mirror, taped to the side of your head at your temple. Omi is an AI-powered brain-computer that promises to eventually be able to “read your brain data” using a separate brain-interface module. For now, the device’s capabilities are more modest. The current version offers audio-only functionality, listening to conversations or voice commands and acting as a digital assistant, similar to ChatGPT or Gemini, communicating back through phone notifications. The brain-interface module, slated for release in Q2 2025, will theoretically “read your brain” (whatever that means). A CES demo suggested that Omi will “know” when its user is addressing it versus speaking to others, responding only when directly engaged. But do we need a brain interface for a device to recognize when we are speaking to it? Wouldn’t a wake word be enough? And let’s not even talk about a device reading your mind and knowing what you need—maybe in 30 years. For now, Omi focuses narrowly on transcribing and summarizing conversations. It’s worth watching its marketing in action. https://youtu.be/MZLzvN3vmtI?embedable=true Friend: the wearable bestie Omi isn’t alone in the realm of always-listening AI devices. Friend is another gadget designed to hang around your neck. It was introduced last summer and feels straight out of a dystopian movie. Like Omi, Friend listens to surrounding conversations and offers timely responses. However, it aims to act as a friend would do, sending you encouraging or even playful comments to your phone. In an age marked by increasing human isolation, partly fueled by unchecked technological advancements, it seems like nothing should surprise us anymore. Omi and Friend are part of a wave of devices pushing the boundaries of what’s considered normal or acceptable. Surprisingly, Friend isn’t marketed to elderly individuals who might benefit from companionship. Instead, its reveal trailer shows users interacting with their “friend” while surrounded by actual human friends. https://youtu.be/O_Q1hoEhfk4?embedable=true Limitless: the infinite listener For those excited to see more Orwellian gadgets hit the market, there’s Limitless, yet another AI wearable designed to listen and transcribe. Like Omi, it can be worn as a pendant, but without any mind-reading gimmicks. Instead, Limitless focuses on listening to what you hear throughout the day, transcribing and summarizing it all. Interestingly, its marketing highlights technical details like its 100 hours of battery life, or its privacy benefits. According to the official roadmap, the device will be HIPAA-compliant in the future, which means that even doctors could adopt Limitless to write future patient reports. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so old-fashioned thinking that the future of AI pendants is never going to happen. If I forced myself to believe that such a technology would never be used for nefarious purposes, I could get behind a future where manual paperwork is significantly reduced thanks to always-listening AI companions. For example, doctors could focus their whole time listening to their patients, knowing that a reliable AI agent is creating a report for them in the background. More time for human interactions and less time transcribing and creating reports. Halliday: the perceptive glasses But there is a reason why the general sentiment with this type of AI applications is distrust or even disdain. It’s because big corporations often follow economic incentives that put their very own customers at risk. And as a result, the public tends to reject always-listening AI companions in any shape or form. If wearing a pendant—or a brain module—feels unappealing, it’s good to know that companies are exploring other form factors. Take Halliday, a startup developing “proactive AI glasses” with an invisible display. It’s the same concept as the other AI assistants, but with text projected into your eyeballs and a ring to facilitate user interactions without needing a smartphone. Ballie: the home sidekick Not everything in this space is a wearable though. Samsung’s Ballie, for example, is an autonomous AI companion designed to roam your home, record key events, project images, and act as a portable computer. Although initially unveiled at CES 2020, Ballie has been in development ever since, and now Samsung is now promising to release it later this year. Maybe having an AI gadget listening to everything that happens at home is more acceptable than wearing one all day. But will anyone buy Ballie? Its promotional video, filled with vibrant colors and cheerful music, feels like a scene from a hopeful retro-futuristic movie. It’s almost as if tech companies are trying to counterbalance the fear (or disgust) surrounding these devices with warm, comforting imagery. https://youtu.be/ehV0yTqxBrE?embedable=true Repeated exposure to once-crazy ideas helps normalize them. What feels outlandish today will seem less so tomorrow. Always-listening AI companions might make us uneasy now, but they’re on track to become inevitable. Who knows? By 2026, AI gadgets might not just be accepted—they could become the preferred holiday gift. Time will tell. Did you like this article? Subscribe to get new posts by email.** When I recently wrote about the most noteworthy AI gadgets of 2024 , I couldn’t help but wonder if the tech industry was nearing the limit of what’s possible with AI. But just a few weeks into 2025, the answer is already a resounding “no”—there is no limit in sight. recently wrote about the most noteworthy AI gadgets of 2024 Indeed, what we can achieve with AI seems unbounded, as the recent CES 2025 event in Las Vegas proved. New AI products were unveiled, showcasing astonishing features and making unbelievable promises, practically taken out of a Black Mirror episode. Black Mirror Omi: the mind reader Omi: the mind reader One of the most surprising form factors came from Omi, a round white puck designed to be worn as a pendant—or, eerily reminiscent of Black Mirror , taped to the side of your head at your temple. Omi is an AI-powered brain-computer that promises to eventually be able to “read your brain data” using a separate brain-interface module. Black Mirror For now, the device’s capabilities are more modest. The current version offers audio-only functionality, listening to conversations or voice commands and acting as a digital assistant, similar to ChatGPT or Gemini, communicating back through phone notifications. The brain-interface module, slated for release in Q2 2025, will theoretically “read your brain” (whatever that means). A CES demo suggested that Omi will “know” when its user is addressing it versus speaking to others, responding only when directly engaged. But do we need a brain interface for a device to recognize when we are speaking to it? Wouldn’t a wake word be enough? And let’s not even talk about a device reading your mind and knowing what you need—maybe in 30 years. For now, Omi focuses narrowly on transcribing and summarizing conversations. It’s worth watching its marketing in action. https://youtu.be/MZLzvN3vmtI?embedable=true https://youtu.be/MZLzvN3vmtI?embedable=true Friend: the wearable bestie Friend: the wearable bestie Omi isn’t alone in the realm of always-listening AI devices. Friend is another gadget designed to hang around your neck. It was introduced last summer and feels straight out of a dystopian movie. Like Omi, Friend listens to surrounding conversations and offers timely responses. However, it aims to act as a friend would do, sending you encouraging or even playful comments to your phone. In an age marked by increasing human isolation, partly fueled by unchecked technological advancements, it seems like nothing should surprise us anymore. Omi and Friend are part of a wave of devices pushing the boundaries of what’s considered normal or acceptable. Surprisingly, Friend isn’t marketed to elderly individuals who might benefit from companionship. Instead, its reveal trailer shows users interacting with their “friend” while surrounded by actual human friends. https://youtu.be/O_Q1hoEhfk4?embedable=true https://youtu.be/O_Q1hoEhfk4?embedable=true Limitless: the infinite listener Limitless: the infinite listener For those excited to see more Orwellian gadgets hit the market, there’s Limitless, yet another AI wearable designed to listen and transcribe. Like Omi, it can be worn as a pendant, but without any mind-reading gimmicks. Instead, Limitless focuses on listening to what you hear throughout the day, transcribing and summarizing it all. Interestingly, its marketing highlights technical details like its 100 hours of battery life, or its privacy benefits. According to the official roadmap, the device will be HIPAA-compliant in the future, which means that even doctors could adopt Limitless to write future patient reports. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so old-fashioned thinking that the future of AI pendants is never going to happen. If I forced myself to believe that such a technology would never be used for nefarious purposes, I could get behind a future where manual paperwork is significantly reduced thanks to always-listening AI companions. For example, doctors could focus their whole time listening to their patients, knowing that a reliable AI agent is creating a report for them in the background. More time for human interactions and less time transcribing and creating reports. Halliday: the perceptive glasses Halliday: the perceptive glasses But there is a reason why the general sentiment with this type of AI applications is distrust or even disdain. It’s because big corporations often follow economic incentives that put their very own customers at risk. And as a result, the public tends to reject always-listening AI companions in any shape or form. If wearing a pendant—or a brain module—feels unappealing, it’s good to know that companies are exploring other form factors. Take Halliday, a startup developing “proactive AI glasses” with an invisible display. It’s the same concept as the other AI assistants, but with text projected into your eyeballs and a ring to facilitate user interactions without needing a smartphone. Ballie: the home sidekick Ballie: the home sidekick Not everything in this space is a wearable though. Samsung’s Ballie, for example, is an autonomous AI companion designed to roam your home, record key events, project images, and act as a portable computer. Although initially unveiled at CES 2020, Ballie has been in development ever since, and now Samsung is now promising to release it later this year. Maybe having an AI gadget listening to everything that happens at home is more acceptable than wearing one all day. But will anyone buy Ballie? Its promotional video, filled with vibrant colors and cheerful music, feels like a scene from a hopeful retro-futuristic movie. It’s almost as if tech companies are trying to counterbalance the fear (or disgust) surrounding these devices with warm, comforting imagery. https://youtu.be/ehV0yTqxBrE?embedable=true https://youtu.be/ehV0yTqxBrE?embedable=true Repeated exposure to once-crazy ideas helps normalize them. What feels outlandish today will seem less so tomorrow. Always-listening AI companions might make us uneasy now, but they’re on track to become inevitable. Who knows? By 2026, AI gadgets might not just be accepted—they could become the preferred holiday gift. Time will tell. Did you like this article? Subscribe to get new posts by email.** Subscribe
