Months after being acquired by Amazon, artificial intelligence hardware start-up Bee is reshaping its always-on wearable with plans to make it more active and deeply integrated, while hinting that broader changes to the product are on the way. The device, priced at about $A75, is designed to sit quietly in the background of a user’s day while capturing and organising information automatically.

The Bee gadget can be worn on the wrist or clipped to clothing and continuously listens to conversations and activities, converting them into text. That data is then used to summarise discussions and generate task lists inside a companion app, without requiring users to prompt it. There is no screen or built-in camera, reflecting Bee’s focus on so-called ambient AI that blends into daily life rather than demanding attention. The company says the battery can last up to a week between charges.

Early attempts at AI-first hardware, including devices like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1, have struggled to gain traction due to unreliable software, limited endurance and a lack of compelling advantages over smartphones. Amazon itself has had mixed success with wearables, having discontinued its Halo health tracker in 2023 and slowed the release of new audio accessories in recent years.

Bee is positioning itself differently by acting as an automatic personal diary that requires no manual input. Similar ideas have emerged from other start-ups, such as Plaud, but Bee argues its strength lies in quietly building a complete picture of a user’s day.

Amazon’s involvement has raised concerns among some consumers about privacy, particularly given the always-listening nature of the device. Bee says those fears are unfounded, stressing that audio is processed in real time and deleted immediately, with no recordings stored or saved.

Since formally joining Amazon in September as a small eight-person team, Bee has expanded its software features. New additions include voice notes that allow users to capture thoughts with a single button press, along with daily insights that track emotional patterns and changes in relationships. The company is also moving towards a more proactive assistant, with new tools that connect Bee to email and calendar services so it can draft messages or schedule meetings automatically.

Co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo said these changes are aimed at helping the device follow up on conversations and act on a user’s behalf, rather than simply recording information. Speaking at the CES technology show in Las Vegas, she said the goal was to reduce friction between daily interactions and digital organisation.

Bee’s identity as an independent brand may not last much longer. Amazon executives have made it clear the product now sits firmly within the company’s hardware and services portfolio, with potential redesigns under consideration. Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s vice president of Alexa and Echo, said the timing was right for renewed experimentation as generative AI reshapes voice assistants and conversational tools.

Questions have also been raised about emotional attachment to AI systems, a topic Rausch said Amazon has been addressing for years through its responsible AI and privacy teams. He noted that users have long turned to voice assistants for support, humour and companionship.

Unlike some newer AI wearables shown at CES, Bee does not use a camera to interpret its surroundings. Zollo said early prototypes did include visual input but were too costly to pursue at the time, although she expects future devices across the industry to revisit that approach.

Rather than betting on a single dominant gadget, Bee sees AI wearables as part of a broader ecosystem of accessories tailored to individual lifestyles. Zollo said adaptability and personal style will determine which devices people choose to wear every day, adding that Bee aims to fit naturally into that evolving mix rather than replace it.