Imran Chaudhri- The Man Behind Humane’s Screenless Technology (Image: X @imranchaudhri)
On November 9, a San Francisco-based startup surprised the tech world with a screenless AI wearable. The wearable device, named Ai Pin, was unveiled by Humane, which was founded by former Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno. This artificial intelligence-based tiny gadget can be magnetically pinned to our clothing and can replicate a smartphone’s functions, like answering calls and sending messages. It is also equipped with a laser projector that can cast a UI onto our hands.
Imran Chaudhri, who joined Apple in 1995 as an intern, is a designer, inventor, and innovator. Mr Chaudhri was born in London in 1973. He spent over 20 years at Apple and also worked closely with Steve Jobs. From joining as an intern to becoming the design director of Apple”s human interface group, Imran Chaudhri played a pivotal role in the company”s growth for almost two decades. Notably, Imran Chaudhri was one member of the six-person team that designed the iconic Apple iPhone. Apart from the iPhone, Mr Chaudhri has also worked behind some of the world’s most beloved Apple products, including the Macintosh, iPod, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
Imran Chaudhri”s contribution mostly revolved around building Apple“s user interface, and he also holds thousands of patents. This includes the famous slide-to-unlock patent. Apple received this patent after a long legal battle with Samsung. In 2017, the US Supreme Court ordered the South Korean giant to pay up to $120 million to Apple for its “Slide to Unlock” patent and some other features that were allegedly copied by Samsung for its devices.
According to Humane, Imran Chaudhri”s work defines how the world interacts with technology and is driven by his insistence on putting the human experience front and center in the design process. He was also one of the experts who was involved in developing the square icons for the grid on an iPhone. In January 2019, Imran Chaudhri began his new journey by co-founding Humane alongside Bethany Bongiorno, his wife. Bethany Bongiorno was also a former Apple employee who was responsible for all software project management for iOS and macOS. She also played an important leadership role in the execution of crucial projects, including the launch of the original iPad.
When Imran Chaudhri left Apple to create Humane, several Apple employees also joined in on his initiative. The majority of Humane’s current workforce consists of former Apple employees. This includes Apple”s senior director of engineering, Patrick Gates, and Ken Kocienda, the creator of the Apple iPhone’s touchscreen keyboard. Humane, which has raised $230 million in funding to date, is aiming to deliver the next era of personal mobile computing, which will be one driven by AI. In March 2023, Humane announced that they had raised $100 million in Series C funding.
Mr Chaudhri believes that the lifespan of a smartphone screen is limited, and here he highlights the importance of the Ai Pin. The company says that the gadget marks a new beginning for personal consumer technology, offering users the ability to take artificial intelligence with them everywhere in an entirely new, conversational, and screenless form factor. For developing Ai Pin, Humane has also collaborated with Microsoft and OpenAI. ChatGPT access is one of the core features of this device. “Ai Pin is the embodiment of our vision to integrate AI into the fabric of daily life, enhancing our capabilities without overshadowing our humanity,” said Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno in a statement during the launch of Ai Pin. In the tech world, debates are ongoing about whether the Ai Pin will replace smartphones in the future. However, Humane believes the AI Pin represents the next evolution in human-computer interaction.
