For more than a decade, technologists have been trying to make wearables fashionable. Google Glass promised to bring computing to your face. Humane’s AI Pin aimed for discreet voice-based assistance. Apple’s Vision Pro was billed as a breakthrough in immersive computing. Most failed, at least in part, because consumers balked at wearing something that looked like a gadget.
Taya, a San Francisco start-up, believes it has solved that problem by taking a jewelry-first approach. The company has unveiled its debut necklace, opening pre-orders and releasing a first-look video that blends the language of couture marketing with the promise of artificial intelligence.
“For decades, wearable tech has tried to fit into people’s lives and too often failed because it looked and felt like a gadget,” said Elena Wagenmans, Taya’s co-founder and chief executive. “We built Taya to be something people genuinely want to wear – beautiful, private, and empowering.”
The global wearable technology market is projected to nearly double, from $84.2 billion in 2024 to an expected $186 billion by 2030, according to Statista. Yet few products have bridged the divide between utility and style. Taya is explicitly targeting what it calls an underserved audience: consumers who care about design as much as function.
A Necklace That Listens
At first glance, Taya resembles a minimalist necklace finished in gold or silver plating, the kind that might stack naturally with other jewelry. But hidden within its slim pendant is a microphone tuned for daily use, a secure AI system, and a battery lasting 12 to 18 hours of active use.
“We wanted the technology to disappear so people could just enjoy wearing it,” said Amy Zhou, Taya’s co-founder and chief technology officer. “Behind the elegant design, Taya is built with secure AI, a microphone tuned for everyday life, and a battery designed to last all day — so you never have to think about the tech, only the experience.”
The device records voice notes and reflections hands-free. Transcripts and summaries appear in two to five seconds through an integrated mobile app. Users can search, query, and organize recordings in the cloud. In marketing materials, the company calls this “private voice intelligence” — a way of giving people control over memories and moments without exposing them to the data risks that often come with AI tools.
Taya frames its technology as both practical and personal. In one example, a student captures lecture notes while walking between classes. In another, an athlete records training reflections without pulling out a phone. The company says the product passes what it calls the “dead battery test”: even when powered off, it looks like jewelry worth wearing.
The Fashion-Tech Crossover
That cultural positioning may be as important as the technology itself. Fashion-conscious consumers have been skeptical of wearables that scream “device.” By leading with aesthetics, Taya is betting it can normalize AI in everyday life the way luxury brands once did with smartwatches.
Industry analysts note the risk: combining consumer electronics and fashion often means higher costs, niche appeal, and long lead times to mass adoption. Yet in a moment when AI-powered assistants are seeping into daily life — from OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Meta’s AI avatars — the idea of embedding intelligence into something as intimate as jewelry feels less outlandish than it might have a few years ago.
Taya, which has opened pre-orders through its website, declined to disclose its price point, though premium materials suggest it will not compete on affordability. Instead, the brand is positioning itself as a luxury object with utility — a strategy not unlike Apple’s approach when it introduced the Apple Watch Hermès edition.
Beyond Gadgets
Critics of wearables often point out that “constant capture” raises privacy concerns, particularly when devices are designed to record voice in real time. Taya insists its AI processes data securely and gives users control over transcripts, but the company has yet to face the scrutiny that inevitably comes when products move from controlled launches to mass markets.
Still, Taya is clear about its ambitions. The company’s marketing frames the necklace as the first in a series of products that will make AI “beautiful, intelligent, and personal.”
Its mission, Wagenmans said, is to create technology that “helps people own their now by staying present, keeping what matters, and feeling confident in their daily rhythm.”