Apple's AirTag-Sized AI Pin: Everything We Know

[Jana_CZ]

Yes I have an iPhone. Hopefully it is not listening while it is locked. And it should only "listen" when I speak into the microphone to call somebody. It would be illegal in my country to have it listening all the time. If you have -say- Alexa, which I don't, you volunteer to be monitored, but only after you call Alexa to activate every single use.

To hear you say Alexa, or Siri, or any other assistant, it has to listen in the first place. That's the very principle of this feature.

 

[G5isAlive]

How did we get to where we are today without an always-on device that recorded where we left a jacket or dropped hiking socks (my issue)? Going to look for the socks keeps my brain active and my legs moving.

Yes! And how did we get to where we are today without these new fangled things called computers when the abacus works so well AND doesn't require the devil's electricity! Now me personally I prefer to keep my brain active by learning new things, but I should try searching for socks more often!

Obviously, if you have mobility, vision, hearing, or memory impairments, wearable AI-based tech can raise the quality and effectiveness of accommodation. But its potential for abuse as a clandestine surveillance device outweigh the benefits of convenience. As a result, recording and sensing functions should only be accessible on a medical prescription basis to those who were diagnosed with a qualifying impairment.

Yes! Again, speaking of clandestine surveillance have you heard of these things called telescopes?! and don't get me started on cameras! And what people do with leather gloves, absolutely abusive! Outlaw them all!

So, if you keep misplacing clothes or other belongings and are fond of Apple, take advantage of the current AirTag 1 four-pack fire sales 😊 .

Great advice! Though... don't you find them a tad lumpy in your hiking socks? I know I would find them a pain on the trail, but hey, you do you!

This device is all rumors. Maybe we should constrain the conspiracy theories and shaming for when it is actually released and can be judged on its real merits? Maybe?

 

[Itinj24]

WarmWinterHat he’s just another Apple fanatic defending Apple no matter what. Remember Apple can do no wrong for some.

Umm no, you’re wrong. I probably sent in more bug reports than anyone here. HomeKit sucks, Siri sucks, iOS has been a buggy mess for years. I returned my AVP, the list goes on and on but your username ironically checks out.

Think about other people for change, that don’t have the luxury of fully functioning sensory organs. This AI pin is not something I’m interested in or need but it could be very useful for someone else.

No meaningful argument. Just straight to false accusations. Good job.

 

[Mega ST]

To hear you say Alexa, or Siri, or any other assistant, it has to listen in the first place. That's the very principle of this feature.

AFAIK the Alexa claim is it only listens for the word to wake up and does NOT record while sleeping.
My point is, you can have any of your devices listen to you anytime if you like but not to me.

 

[Zammir]

.

 

[Zammir]

So we are buying a product to help them develop AI robots. Got it

 

[eifelbube]

So are you also going to expect the owner of this cafe to not install any recording devices? Do you expect every patron in that cafe to turn off their phones when you’re in there? I’m not sure I understand what your expectation is in a place that isn’t so private. Aside from recording devices, what about just everyone in there listening and looking? Where do you draw the line to expect people to turn everything off to cater to you? Maybe your choice for privacy is not the best here.

No, I do not expect people to turn off their phones in cafes, neither do I expect people to cater to me. Just (analog) listening and looking is fine too. 😊

The problem with smart wearable devices is their potential for clandestine recording. When someone holds up an iPhone pointing it at me, I have a chance to spot it and a valid reason to intervene. With smart glasses or AI pins, I have no visible proof they are targeting and recording me.

I know, in legal terms, you generally do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in public spaces. In most cases, recording someone in public is legal. The problem is that the applicable laws were written before consumer tech became miniaturized and sophisticated enough to make intrusion upon seclusion possible. “Reasonable” will need to be re-defined.

 

[eifelbube]

Yes! And how did we get to where we are today without these new fangled things called computers when the abacus works so well AND doesn't require the devil's electricity! Now me personally I prefer to keep my brain active by learning new things, but I should try searching for socks more often!



Yes! Again, speaking of clandestine surveillance have you heard of these things called telescopes?! and don't get me started on cameras! And what people do with leather gloves, absolutely abusive! Outlaw them all!



Great advice! Though... don't you find them a tad lumpy in your hiking socks? I know I would find them a pain on the trail, but hey, you do you!

This device is all rumors. Maybe we should constrain the conspiracy theories and shaming for when it is actually released and can be judged on its real merits? Maybe?

Can you clip computers to a shirt like an AI-pin?
Can you wear telescopes around the neck like an A-pin?
Did I advise to equip hiking socks with AirTags?

Conspiracy theories?
Shaming?

If my post upset you that much, I apologize.

 

[G5isAlive]

Can you clip computers to a shirt like an AI-pin?
Can you wear telescopes around the neck like an A-pin?
Did I advise to equip hiking socks with AirTags?

Conspiracy theories?
Shaming?

If my post upset you that much, I apologize.

Oh no worries, your post didn't upset me at all... just responding from a different perspective. hope that's okay.

 

[G5isAlive]

To answer your questions..

Can you clip computers to a shirt like an AI-pin?
Can you wear telescopes around the neck like an A-pin?
Did I advise to equip hiking socks with AirTags?

Your phone is a computer and in many cases can fit in a shirt pocket... so yes.

Telescopes can target you from distances you can't perceive them, so yes have perhaps worse potential for 'clandestine recording.'

as for hiking socks with air tags.. perhaps hyperbole but no more than yours..

So, if you keep misplacing clothes or other belongings and are fond of Apple, take advantage of the current AirTag 1 four-pack fire sales

How did we get to where we are today without an always-on device that recorded where we left a jacket or dropped hiking socks (my issue)? Going to look for the socks keeps my brain active and my legs moving.

as for shaming... see above lol.

Conspiracy theories?

Not going to debate your definition of conspiracy theories... but here you are raising a fuss about potential...

The problem with smart wearable devices is their potential for clandestine recording. When someone holds up an iPhone pointing it at me, I have a chance to spot it and a valid reason to intervene. With smart glasses or AI pins, I have no visible proof they are targeting and recording me.

Unless the manufacturer has some visible light.. shrugs. who knows. it's all rumors.

The thing is... maybe you have a point, maybe you don't, but if a point is good it stands without hyperbole. Or sarcasm. So okay bad me. This history of technology is increasing convenience with often potential privacy concerns. Is this crossing the line? I would agree hidden cameras might be, but we have no clue how this will actually be implemented so to raise the alarm in such a fashion.. shrugs.

sorry if that upset you.

 

[Mega ST]

Everybody can share his own data with any data system he wants. But he cannot share other people's data with any system he wants. This is invasive.
Privacy is a basic right and standard guaranteed by the constitution in my country. To change it you need to ask the other person first. Case by case. Which is not done if people do automated mass recordings of everybody else around them and send those data to companies for company commercial purposes.

 

[eifelbube]

Not going to debate your definition of conspiracy theories... but here you are raising a fuss about potential...
…
The thing is... maybe you have a point, maybe you don't, but if a point is good it stands without hyperbole. Or sarcasm. So okay bad me. This history of technology is increasing convenience with often potential privacy concerns. Is this crossing the line? I would agree hidden cameras might be, but we have no clue how this will actually be implemented so to raise the alarm in such a fashion.. shrugs.

Conspiracy theories?
Shaming?
Fuss?
Hyperbole?
Sarcasm?

to raise the alarm √√√

There were plenty of warnings when social media became a mass phenomenon and its addictive architecture for inflicting harm became obvious. The landmark verdict against Meta and Google last week shows that alarms can never be raised too early.

 

[G5isAlive]

There were plenty of warnings when social media became a mass phenomenon and its addictive architecture for inflicting harm became obvious. The landmark verdict against Meta and Google last week shows that alarms can never be raised too early.

Shrugs, I am of the generation where we were responsible for ourselves, and didn't blame all our ills on other people.

I don't do social media for a reason. I am responsible for myself. I am also picky to vet where I get my news. And while some celebrate these decisions I know a) the fight isn't over yet and its too early to celebrate, and b) its not just a comment on big business.

So again, I am not going to jump on the anti wagon as it relates to a product we really know nothing about. Its fun to talk about the technical merits of technology, but to kill it before its born because of hysteria?

Nope.

 

[eifelbube]

Its fun to talk about the technical merits of technology, but to kill it before its born because of hysteria?

Hysteria?

Finally, I did not suggest or imply at all “to kill it [AI pin] before it’s born” as evident in my original comment:

But its potential for abuse as a clandestine surveillance device outweigh the benefits of convenience. As a result, recording and sensing functions should only be accessible on a medical prescription basis to those who were diagnosed with a qualifying impairment.​

 

[G5isAlive]

Hysteria?

Finally, I did not suggest or imply at all “to kill it [AI pin] before it’s born” as evident in my original comment:

But its potential for abuse as a clandestine surveillance device outweigh the benefits of convenience. As a result, recording and sensing functions should only be accessible on a medical prescription basis to those who were diagnosed with a qualifying impairment.​

I am sure we are boring a lot of people with our back and forth.., but now you suggest I need a medical prescription for an Apple device? lol you think this suggests you are open minded to a product you know nothing factual about? I give you credit for not abandoning your agenda, but come on save your powder for an actual product announcement lol.

A medical prescription… oh wait it IS April Fools day, good one! Had me thinking you were serious. Must be your medical marijuana card giving you super humor.

Medical card lol. For a device with the potential to inform me about the world around me. 😂

 

[Mega ST]

Nobody suggested to kill anything. But to think about how a device likely will be used and could be misused seems to be warranted. Let's be realistic: This mass data mining is about big business not about helping the handicapped. If private talk ends on company and finally government servers (including talk recorded without your knowledge!) you can end up in hot water in many countries globally.
I personally would prefer to not be recorded. We just don't know yet what this new device finally will want to listen to.

 

[zenmacx]

I still don’t know what the point of this device is.

A word comes to mind… surveillance

 

[eifelbube]

I am sure we are boring a lot of people with our back and forth

Indeed.
Please note that ridicule is not a synonym for respond.
The End.

 

[eifelbube]

Nobody suggested to kill anything. But to think about how a device likely will be used and could be misused seems to be warranted. Let's be realistic: This mass data mining is about big business not about helping the handicapped. If private talk ends on company and finally government servers (including talk recorded without your knowledge!) you can end up in hot water in many countries globally.
I personally would prefer to not be recorded. We just don't know yet what this new device finally will want to listen to.

I still don’t know what the point of this device is.

A word comes to mind… surveillance

Agreed. I feel better now. When I pointed to this AI-pin potential for abuse, the concerns were likened to hysteria.

I do not think, Apple will release one with clandestine recording capability because you can’t advocate for privacy protection on the one hand and sell privacy intrusion tech on the other.

 

[G5isAlive]

Please note that ridicule is not a synonym for respond.
The End.

Agreed. 🙂

How did we get to where we are today without an always-on device that recorded where we left a jacket or dropped hiking socks (my issue)? Going to look for the socks keeps my brain active and my legs moving.

So, if you keep misplacing clothes or other belongings and are fond of Apple, take advantage of the current AirTag 1 four-pack fire sales 😊 .

 

[Mega ST]

I don't need intrusive devices that tell me to read more or move more or how much better I am than last year and all that stuff. Having said that, my aunt had a car crash the other day and was trapped and her iPhone called the ambulance.