Amazon acquires Bee, the AI wearable that listens to and records your conversations Posted on : Jul 23 - 2025

Amazon has acquired the AI wearables startup Bee, according to a LinkedIn post by Bee co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo. Amazon confirmed the deal to TechCrunch, though it hasn’t officially closed yet.

Bee, which raised $7 million last year, offers a Fitbit-like bracelet for $49.99 (plus a $19 monthly subscription) and an Apple Watch app. The devices passively record conversations—unless manually muted—to help create reminders and to-do lists.

Last year, Zollo told TechCrunch the company’s vision is to build a “cloud phone”: a personal device synced with the user’s accounts and notifications, making it easy to get reminders or send messages. On its website, Bee says it wants to offer “a personal, ambient intelligence that feels less like a tool and more like a trusted companion.”

While other companies like Rabbit and Humane AI have struggled to find mainstream success with similar AI wearables, Bee’s lower price point makes it more accessible compared to products like the $499 Humane AI Pin.

An Amazon spokesperson confirmed Bee’s employees have been offered positions at Amazon. The acquisition reflects Amazon’s push into AI-powered wearables, complementing its voice-controlled Echo devices. Other tech giants are exploring similar territory: OpenAI is reportedly working on AI hardware; Meta is adding AI to smart glasses; and Apple is rumored to be developing AI-enabled glasses.

These always-on devices raise privacy concerns since they constantly record ambient audio. Bee’s current policies say users can delete their data anytime, and audio recordings aren’t stored or used for AI training—though the AI does retain user-specific data to function as an assistant. Bee has also said it plans to add features for on-device processing and boundaries based on location or topic.

It remains unclear whether Bee’s privacy practices will change under Amazon. The company has faced criticism over privacy in the past, including sharing Ring camera footage with law enforcement without user consent or warrants, and settling claims that Ring employees had broad access to customer videos.