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In the fast-paced world of tech talks about the future of smartphones, designer Imran Chaudhri is thinking about what might come next. His company, Humane, just unveiled a small AI Pin that sticks to your clothes using magnets. Surprisingly, this little device claims it can replace your smartphone. Chaudhri, who used to work at Apple, is now making waves with his $699 wearable alternative to traditional phones. Let's dive into five key things to understand about him.
Imran Chaudhri spent a good twenty years at Apple, where he worked closely with Steve Jobs. Starting as an intern in 1995, he climbed the ranks to become the design director of the human interfaces group. Chaudhri was part of the team of six that designed the original iPhone, and he's famous for creating its interactions and interface. His design expertise extends to other Apple products like the iPod, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. With his name on hundreds of patents, including the "slide to unlock" feature, Chaudhri played a crucial role in shaping the iPhone's Home Screen.
In 2016, Apple's core design team faced changes when Jony Ive, who had a long tenure under Jobs, stepped down from daily management. Around the same time, Chaudhri, considering leaving Apple, informed Ive and Alan Dye about his plans to depart once he received equity shares. A month before his departure, he sent an email to colleagues, quoting the Persian poet Rumi: "When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy."
After expressing his thoughts on Apple's changes post-Jobs, Chaudhri added, "Sadly, rivers dry out, and when they do, you look for a new one." This reference to Apple's state under CEO Tim Cook led to his firing by Alan Dye, impacting his financial shares. Facing this setback, Chaudhri left Apple in 2017 to pursue his dream of starting his own venture.
In 2018, he, along with his wife Bethany Bongiorno, an ex-Apple employee, founded Humane. Despite the mystery surrounding their work, Chaudhri gave a glimpse of the AI Pin earlier this year in a TED Talk and at Paris Fashion Week. The duo remained tight-lipped about their project until now.
“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.” — @ImranChaudhri, @Humane cofounder.
— TED Talks (@TEDTalks) May 9, 2023
Learn more about this groundbreaking technology here: https://t.co/iNvxbSmYUk pic.twitter.com/0GqAiR2reT
Chaudhri envisions a world without screens, unlike smartphones or mixed-reality headsets. His creation, the AI Pin, is a screen-free device with ambient computing hardware and artificial intelligence. Equipped with cameras and sensors, it can project visual interfaces onto various surfaces. Clip it to your chest, and you can take photos, send texts, and interact with a powerful virtual assistant, similar to ChatGPT. The AI Pin goes on sale in the US on November 16, starting at $699, with a $24 monthly plan for unlimited calling, texting, and data through T-Mobile. Orders start shipping in early 2024.
When Chaudhri left Apple for Humane, he brought in many former Apple employees, making up 50% of Humane's current workforce. Notable additions include Ken Kocienda, the creator of the iPhone’s touchscreen keyboard, and Gary Schulz, who was part of Apple’s industrial design group. Humane, founded by Chaudhri, has raised $230 million in funding, with investors like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, Microsoft, and venture arms of LG, Volvo, and Qualcomm. The latest funding of $100 million in March reportedly valued the startup at $850 million.
