While some tech companies are chasing the high-end dream of expensive, feature-packed AI wearables, a San Francisco startup is taking a different approach. They’re betting on affordability with their new device: the OmiGPT, a wearable that will only cost you $89.

Imagine a tiny, open-source wireless gadget, about the size of a silver dollar – that’s OmiGPT! Crafted from lightweight aluminum, it packs 64GB of storage and taps into OpenAI’s ChatGPT through an API. Wear it your way: either on your wrist or as a stylish necklace.

Don’t let its size fool you; this compact device provides a constant connection to ChatGPT. Whether you’re online, processing conversations and data in real-time, or offline, saving information for later, OmiGPT is designed to be context-aware. That means it uses sensors and AI to understand your surroundings, interactions, and questions, giving you smart, relevant responses.

The path to creating a truly successful AI wearable has been bumpy, with devices like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit’s R1 stumbling out of the gate. Nik Shevchenko, the creator of OmiGPT, is proceeding with caution. Instead of rushing to get OmiGPT on shelves, his team is starting with developer kits. The goal? To make sure it’s genuinely useful in real-world scenarios before it reaches everyday users.

“We’re taking a slightly different route,” Shevchenko explained to Decrypt. “We’re initially only releasing developer kits. We want to ensure the device is actually useful before we start shipping to consumers. Rabbit and Humane launched directly to consumers – that’s the key difference in our approach.”

This careful launch strategy reflects a growing trend in the wearable AI world. Startups are realizing that focusing on real-world usefulness is more important than just generating hype.

Shevchenko first introduced OmiGPT to the world back in March, with an announcement on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter).

Wearable technology is becoming a bigger and bigger player in the tech industry. Major companies like Meta, Rabbit, ByteDance, Cudis, and Limitless are all investing in AI-powered wearables that can offer assistance that understands context. These intelligent devices are designed to adapt to your environment, your behavior, and what you’re doing in the moment, providing personalized help whenever you need it.

Take the Humane AI Pin, for example. Launched in November 2023 at a hefty $699, it was positioned as a potential replacement for your smartphone. However, it was plagued by technical issues and disappointing sales, ultimately leading to its discontinuation and the sale of Humane’s assets to HP for $116 million in February 2025.

The $199 Rabbit R1, another AI assistant, this time in a handheld form, also had a bumpy start. However, it’s been steadily improving thanks to frequent software updates that have enhanced features like the Large Action Model (LAM), Magic Camera, and Generative UI. Despite these improvements, it still hasn’t quite reached the versatility of everyday devices like tablets and smartphones.

Features and availability

If you check out the Omi product page, you’ll see that OmiGPT is packed with features: it can record conversations, set reminders, translate languages in real-time, and even learn to mimic your own speaking style. It also offers both local and cloud storage options with privacy controls, and it’s built on an open-source platform. Excitingly, the company says pre-orders are expected to ship in the second quarter of 2025.

“We noticed that ChatGPT has an enormous user base of billions,” Shevchenko explained. “So, we started thinking, how could we make it even better? We connected our device directly to GPT. Honestly, we weren’t even sure it would be possible, but it turns out it is!”

Taking a peek inside OmiGPT reveals a cleverly designed compact system. At its heart is a custom-printed circuit board. This acts as the central brain, managing all the key parts, including the microphone, rechargeable battery, power switch, and USB-C charging port. All these components are neatly tucked inside a lightweight, 3D-printed case.

Shevchenko also points out a clever design choice – OmiGPT doesn’t have a speaker. This means you don’t need to worry about ChatGPT’s responses being overheard by people around you, keeping your interactions private.

While OmiGPT has some functionality even when it’s not connected, you’ll truly unlock its full potential once it’s back online. Shevchenko emphasizes that the device really shines when it can sync up and process data in the cloud.

“It can still record audio even without an internet connection or your phone nearby, but you’ll really see the value once it reconnects,” Shevchenko clarified. “Imagine you have a really important conversation – you can record it on the device, and then when it’s back online, it can process everything and make that information useful. So yes, it *does* need the internet eventually, whether through your phone’s connection or Wi-Fi, to really live up to its potential.”

Shevchenko stresses that the team isn’t in a rush to achieve mass adoption. Their main focus right now is creating something that people genuinely find useful and enjoyable to use. Looking ahead, Shevchenko mentioned that the company is also working on AI-powered glasses, similar to Meta’s smart eyewear.

And thinking even bigger, Omi’s long-term vision includes exploring brain-computer interface technology!

“This may sound a bit bold, but we’re really developing these products for ourselves first and foremost,” Shevchenko admitted. “I actually started these companies because I personally wanted to use these kinds of devices.”

He added, “If other people end up buying it, that’s fantastic – they get to experience it too. But honestly, that’s not our primary goal.”

Edited by Andrew Hayward