How Wearable Is AI-Powered Jewellery Really?

At first glance, it looks like a regular pendant: a minimalist geometric shape that hangs mid-décolletage — the perfect length for layering with other chains. The Friend, however, is no ordinary bauble. It’s an AI wearable whose tagline, “Always listening,” works on two levels. Yes, its built-in microphone is indeed always recording audio, live transcribing conversations and noting down reminders for you; but it’s also paying attention, just like any other pal. Its promotional video shows a scenario where a woman, breathlessly celebrating reaching the summit on a long hike alone, tells her Friend she “doesn’t know how to woo very well.” “Amy” quickly pings back, “Well, at least we’re outside.”

The Friend (available to pre-order for $140) is part of a small-but-buzzy category of AI meets wearable tech. There’s also the Humane AI Pin, which launched earlier this year as a wearable AI assistant and brooch. Sadly, the device was widely panned for technical malfunctions, with one popular YouTube tech reviewer — Marques Brownlee, who counts nearly 20 million subscribers— calling it the worst product he’s ever reviewed. Currently, these devices seem to have more potential than payoff.

It all raises the question “Is anyone really asking for AI jewellery, even if it does work as intended?” Sure, there’s the Oura, the big name in this game — a ring that tracks your sleep and heart rate — as one argument in favour of the rise of AI-powered jewellery.

But then there are the ethical concerns, of which there are many, including data privacy and disclosure. Karina Vold, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto and a philosopher of cognitive science and AI, is certainly interested in this new tech, “but that’s from a lens of suspicion,” she says, adding, “I’m not sure that I would adopt it long term.” She urges us all to consider what we’re giving away versus what we’re getting and how accurate the information is as well as the risks we take in the process.

Those risks are numerous, by the way. Unlike our smartphones, which have a significant amount of security and privacy technology built into them, it’s not always clear how these AI accessories are handling and protecting the (usually quite intimate) personal data they’re gathering about us. These devices could very well be selling our health data to third parties or using it to target ads back to us.

There’s also the privacy of the people around you, who may or may not consent to having themselves recorded when you’ve got your AI-powered jewellery on. “This is now affecting the trust between individuals, not just between you and a company,” says Vold.

These new-age wearables do have their fans, including jewellery publicist Jen Cullen Williams, who is a devotee of the elastic-bracelet-like health-metric tracker the Whoop. The only downside? “It’s not a very attractive product to wear,” she says. That might just highlight a real opportunity for established wearable-tech brands to team up with jewellery houses to bridge the aesthetic gap. After all, Oura has partnered with Gucci and Apple has had a long-standing collaboration with Hermès.

Still, will this be enough for purists like Desiree Peeples, a jewellery reseller and the host of The Jewelry Reseller’s Podcast?

“Smart jewellery has no comparison when it comes to the value of heirloom pieces — it’s purely for function,” she says. “But who knows? Maybe Tiffany will come out with something amazing that we will all love and we’ll all go ‘Wow, not only is it gorgeous but it also tells me how many calories I’ve burned.’”

Three wearables that have high (tech) potential

Friend Batch 1

Have you ever wanted your own personal digital assistant? Well, with the new Friend necklace, which features a simple circular pendant activated by the push of a button, that dream may soon be a reality. Simply speak a question, exclamation or statement aloud and your “Friend” will promptly respond via a text-like notification on your phone.

The innovative necklace is available for pre-order now with shipments beginning in early 2025.

Humane AI Pin

If you’re looking for a more discreet option, the Humane AI Pin might be for you. After clipping this high-tech brooch onto your top, you will essentially have a hands-free smartphone that can record video and audio, take pictures, play music, jot down notes, facilitate real-time translations, and much more.

Its top selling point? The device’s laser ink feature can project an interactive menu-like display onto your hand in seconds. It just doesn’t get more futuristic than that.

Plaud NotePin

Never let an important idea slip away again with the Plaud NotePin. Wearable as a wristband, pin, clip or necklace, this sleek gadget is readily available to record, then later transcribe and summarize, any thought, conversation or idea you may have.

Ideal for busy professionals who are always on the go, this device makes traditional note-taking a thing of the past.

Ultrahuman Ring Air

If you’re on the hunt for a wearable AI device that hardly looks high-tech at all, the Ultrahuman Ring Air may be right up your alley. Available in traditional jewellery colours such as gold, silver and black, this lightweight smart ring measures metrics such as heart rate, body temperature, stress and more as you go about your day.

Plus, it’s state-of-the-art sleep-tracking technology provides insights on how you can achieve a better night’s rest — and who doesn’t want that?

This article first appeared in FASHION’s Winter 2025 issue. Find out more here.