A startup called Halo, founded by Harvard dropouts AnhPhu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio, is launching smart glasses designed to “think” for users by leveraging AI.

The glasses, named Halo X, promise to record and transcribe all conversations, offering AI-powered insights that help users recall forgotten details and appear smarter.

"Our goal is to make glasses that make you super intelligent the moment you put them on," Nguyen told TechCrunch.

Startup Aims to Replace Critical Thinking with Always-On AI

Ardayfio describes the glasses as the "first real step towards vibe thinking," a term referring to AI-assisted cognitive processes.

Similar to how programmers use AI tools for “vibe coding,” the glasses aim to augment actual thinking by constantly providing facts and insights.

"I think that with an AI assistant constantly helping you, you can become way smarter," Ardayfio told Futurism. "You'll know everything. You'll have all of the facts at your disposal."

He added, "You'll know exactly what to say and how to say it... It's empowering me to be able to say ten times more things, ten times more intelligently."

Privacy Risks and Ethical Red Flags Abound

Unlike competitors such as Meta’s Ray-Bans, which include lights indicating when recording is active, Halo X is designed to record everything without any visible indicator.

Nguyen explained, "We aim to literally record everything in your life, and we think that will unlock just way more power to the AI to help you on a hybrid personal level."

However, this raises potential legal issues, as some U.S. states prohibit recording conversations without consent. Ardayfio said, "Ultimately, just up to the user."

Nguyen also noted that consumers might be more willing to accept this from a smaller startup than from Big Tech companies with problematic privacy records.

Could Smart Glasses Actually Diminish Human Intelligence?

Despite the glasses’ promise to enhance intelligence, research cited in the article shows AI reliance can reduce critical thinking skills.

A Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon study found that heavy use of AI leads to "cognitive offloading," weakening users' abilities to think independently.

Another study reported that students relying on ChatGPT suffered memory loss and declining grades.

Nguyen envisions a future where recording everything digitally becomes normal, believing startups like his will lead that shift.

"We think that everyone will be recording everything about their lives in the future, because it's just so useful and helpful to their lives," he said to Futurism.

PHOTO: HALO/GADGETS360

This article was created with AI assistance.