Source: Bee
Amazon is acquiring artificial intelligence startup Bee, the company behind the always-listening AI wearable. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Amazon told The Verge that Bee employees got offers to join the online retail giant.
The company's US$49.99 product resembles a Fitbit and is supposed to work as your always-on AI assistant. It is designed to listen in on your conversations and what's happening around you to generate personalized summaries of your day and offer reminders and suggestions from within its companion app. You can also let it access your email, contacts, location, reminders, and the like to help inform its AI-generated insights and create a searchable history of your past activities.
When The Verge asked if Amazon intended to apply the same privacy measures that Bee offered, including the policy against storing audio, Amazon spokesperson Alexandra Miller said the company "cares deeply" about customer privacy and security, adding they are working with Bee to give its users "even greater control" over their devices when the deal is finalized.