Unlocking Efficiency with Innovative AI Pins: The Future of Personal Transcription? - Insights From ZDNet

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Note-taking is a big part of my job. I have over 90 notes in the Apple Notes app that I switch between for different purposes, whether it’s a story idea, some quotes from a press briefing, interview transcriptions, or even my grocery and to-do lists. One of these notes includes snippets from a demo by a company that is using artificial intelligence (AI) to fix this problem: Plaud.

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Plaud just announced its new NotePin , a wearable AI-powered device that can record your voice and transcribe and summarize what you say, turning your notes into a searchable database of information.

The Plaud NotePin was born out of the necessity to have AI work with real life instead of data available online, Plaud CEO Nathan Hsu said during a recent press briefing.

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The device is a small pill-shaped gadget that you can wear around your neck, on your clothes as a pin, on your wrist with a wristband, or clipped to your jacket or bag. And, yes, all these wearable options are included in the box, so you don’t have to buy a separate wristband if you decide to start wearing it on your wrist instead of as a pin.

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During meetings, you can press the NotePin, which will buzz to signal the beginning of the recording. Once the meeting concludes, you can stop recording, and the NotePin will transcribe the recording. You can find the transcription and an AI-generated summary of what was discussed in an app. The summaries are scannable and searchable, so you could potentially ask the AI assistant in the app to search for that meeting when you discussed “Y’s project deadlines.”

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

I use ChatGPT and other AI tools daily to help with workflow, answer questions, or perform automated tasks at home. I’m also an avid note-taker, as I believe many writers are, and used to carry a notepad around before smartphones were a thing so that I could jot down any idea that came to mind when out and about.

I also enjoy dictating my notes, even more so since I have physical limitations due to illness.

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I’m used to asking Alexa to control a light or smart device at home. On the go, I often use Siri to call someone or reply to a text message. The only thing I don’t like using Siri for is writing down my notes, specifically because of how inefficient the virtual assistant can be.

I like that NotePin lets you quickly give it long or short notes, it’s easy to use, and it can effortlessly go anywhere you go. I can use it to record interviews, jot down lists, or even dictate a story idea or outline on the go.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The Plaud NotePin is perfect for these and other use cases. If Plaud can guarantee security and privacy guardrails for healthcare, I can imagine doctors wearing a Plaud NotePin around their necks to dictate notes between patients instead of having to stop to write down something on their laptops. It’s also great for meetings in general, especially project planning discussions.

The NotePin could also be an accessibility aid for those with limited mobility or visual and auditory impairments.

Of course, the device has its limitations. It can make errors during the transcription process, which can affect the summary and the searching capabilities. This is expected with AI wearables, as they’re mostly still in the early stages of development, but it is an important factor to consider when deciding between this product or a phone app that performs a similar function.

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Available for purchase at $169 , the NotePin lets you record up to 300 minutes of audio a month without a subscription. Consumers can also subscribe for a $79-a-year membership to record up to 1,200 minutes per month and extra features, like labels for each speaker. The NotePin is available in gray, white, and purple.

I’ll conduct more in-depth tests with the Plaud AI NotePin over the next few days and update this article with my findings.