Amazon has acquired the AI wearable startup Bee, according to a LinkedIn post from Bee co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo.

The company confirmed the acquisition to TechCrunch but said the deal has not yet closed.

Bee is known for developing a bracelet-style wearable that continuously records audio unless manually muted.

The device is priced at $49.99 with a $19-per-month subscription and is also available as an Apple Watch app.

Bee’s AI Device Listens to Conversations and Creates To-Do Lists

The product records everything it hears in order to help users manage tasks and remember events.

The company’s goal is to provide a “cloud phone”, a device that mirrors the user’s smartphone and gives access to accounts and notifications.

Zollo previously said the device is meant to send messages and give reminders by listening to what’s happening around the user.

On its website, Bee says, “We believe everyone should have access to a personal, ambient intelligence that feels less like a tool and more like a trusted companion. One that helps you reflect, remember, and move through the world more freely.”

Amazon Expands Wearable AI Offerings Beyond Echo Devices

An Amazon spokesperson told TechCrunch that Bee employees received offers to join Amazon.

This acquisition suggests Amazon is expanding into wearable AI, a shift from its current focus on voice-controlled home assistant products like Echo speakers.

Companies like Rabbit and Humane AI have launched similar devices but have not found strong market success.

At $50, Bee’s wearable is more accessible than the Humane AI Pin, which launched at $499.

Bee Emphasizes Privacy, but Future Under Amazon Is Unclear

The device records audio around the user, raising privacy concerns. Bee’s current privacy policy states that users can delete their data at any time and that audio recordings are not saved, stored, or used for AI training.

However, the app does store information the AI learns about the user to function as an assistant.

Bee says it only records voices of people who have verbally consented. It is also developing a feature to let users define topic and location-based boundaries that will automatically pause learning.

The company says it plans to implement on-device AI processing, which generally reduces privacy risk.

It is not yet clear whether these policies will remain the same once Bee is integrated into Amazon.

Amazon has faced criticism in the past for its handling of customer data. The company previously shared Ring security camera footage with law enforcement without the owner's consent or a warrant.

In 2023, Ring settled claims from the Federal Trade Commission that employees and contractors had broad and unrestricted access to customer videos.

PHOTO: DIGIT/TECHEDT

This article was created with AI assistance.