Amazon has unveiled two new artificial intelligence devices - prices start at $75

Amazon unveiled two new devices under the Bee brand on Thursday, focused on collecting information about users' daily conversations and activities and using artificial intelligence to generate reminders and recommendations. The company acquired Bee last year.

The new devices include Frontier, a wristband priced at $75, and Eclipse, a portable, magnetic charger-like device that attaches to a smartphone and costs $100.

According to Amazon, the devices combine information gathered throughout the day, including calendar entries, data from apps, and the content of conversations. Based on this, the system can remind users of important meetings, promised tasks, and other actionable items.

"They're listening to you all day long," said Panos Panay, Amazon's head of devices, at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco. He explained that the devices can remind users both of conversations they've had and of tasks they've promised to others.

The company's idea is that users will no longer need to manually record every task or reminder. In Amazon's vision, the devices will be able to process everyday information on their own, helping people stay focused on what they're currently doing.

However, one of the key issues with the product is the protection of personal data. According to Amazon, users can decide for themselves when to turn the devices on, as well as delete generated summaries or information related to previous conversations. The company maintains that audio recordings are not stored.

The privacy issue is especially significant for Amazon given past criticism surrounding Alexa. In 2019, reports emerged that thousands of employees and contractors were listening to users' conversations with Alexa. A class-action lawsuit has also been filed against the company over this practice, though Amazon denies any wrongdoing.

The launch of the new devices shows that Amazon is trying to push artificial intelligence beyond voice assistants and turn it into a constant digital companion for everyday life. However, the success of this model will depend not only on the usefulness of its features, but also on how well the company can earn users' trust and answer questions related to the protection of personal information.