Motorola’s AI Necklace Tests a New Kind of Digital Assistant

Motorola used CES 2026 to quietly test the waters in the emerging AI companion hardware market, previewing a minimalist wearable designed to act as an always-available assistant rather than a full-fledged smart device. The company debuted the product during its Lenovo World Tour events surrounding CES.

The wearable shows Motorola’s attempt to explore a category that has struggled to gain traction, following the high-profile stumbles of earlier AI-first devices. Enterprise leaders, platform partners, and developers watching the evolution of agentic AI hardware are likely to see the device as a signal of renewed interest — and caution — in ambient AI form factors.

A proof of concept built around Motorola’s Qira assistant

Motorola emphasized that the wearable remains an early proof-of-concept, according to Mashable. The device is powered by Motorola’s Qira AI assistant and is designed to work in tandem with a paired smartphone rather than operate independently.

During demonstrations, the wearable identified and explained objects in the user’s field of view, summarized information, and initiated navigation tasks by launching apps on a connected phone. In one example, the device opened Google Maps and entered a destination automatically, illustrating a limited form of agentic behavior rather than simple voice responses.

Minimal hardware, no screen, and no buttons

Physically, the device departs from traditional wearable designs.

The AI assistant is housed in a small, pendant-like form factor that hangs from a necklace chain, with a glossy, pearl-like shell and softly rounded edges. A Motorola logo sits near the center, while a small camera lens and sensor array are positioned at one end of the device.

There are no visible buttons or displays. Instead, the hardware relies on microphones, a small speaker slit, and onboard sensors to interact with the user and the surrounding environment. The design aligns with a broader industry trend toward ambient computing, where AI operates in the background rather than through constant screen interaction.

Demos reveal promise… and redundancy

Some of the live demonstrations underscored both the potential and the current limitations of the concept.

In one scenario, a Motorola representative held up an event flyer, and the wearable summarized its contents. However, the explanation largely repeated the visible text with minimal additional insight, raising questions about how much value the AI adds beyond basic recognition tasks.

Mashable noted that while the device can act autonomously in limited ways, it still teeters on the edge of being truly agentic. Much of its functionality depends on the paired smartphone, reinforcing Motorola’s position that the hardware is exploratory rather than market-ready.

Lessons from failed AI companions loom large

Motorola’s cautious framing reflects recent history in the AI wearable space. Humane’s AI Pin failed to gain traction and was widely criticized for its limited usefulness and high cost, while the Friend necklace drew backlash shortly after its debut, including allegations surrounding its design origins.

Motorola appears to be testing consumer and industry reaction without committing to a release timeline. The company made clear that the wearable remains far from commercial availability, signaling that any next steps will likely depend on market readiness and technical refinement.

Plaud has introduced an updated NotePin alongside a desktop app focused on continuous note-taking across professional conversations.

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