Omi

Omi, by Based Hardware (founder Nik Shevchenko, San Francisco), is a shipping AI necklace in the ambient-recording 'second brain' category: a small circular orb on a neck lanyard that captures conversations and runs them through GPT-4o for ambient transcription in 25+ languages, auto-summaries and tasks, a searchable memory database, daily recaps, and a 'Brain Map'. It sells for $89 as a consumer unit (about $70 dev) one-time, with a free tier (unlimited on-device transcription plus 1,200 cloud minutes a month) and an optional Omi Unlimited plan from $16 a month; the user owns the device. It is one of the few genuinely open-hardware entries in the cohort: an MIT-licensed GitHub repo of about 12,700 stars with firmware, apps, and open hardware designs, maintained into 2026. The AI is genuine cloud functionality, not veneer. One significant cap-flag: the aspirational brain-interface and EEG 'reads-your-mind' marketing is not the shipping product, which is audio-only; the BCI module is roadmap with no code, and TechCrunch could not verify it. (Omi is distinct from Friend, Avi Schiffmann's pendant; Shevchenko's device was originally also named Friend and was renamed Omi.)

Readiness

Omi is shipping now at $89 (actual sale price), no capability claims are on file, 1 verified deployment is on file, and no incidents are on record.

Availability

shipping-now

Shipping now.

see evidence →

Price honesty

actual-sale-price

One price on file: $89 (actual sale price).

see evidence →

Capability honesty

no-claims

No reviewed capability claims on file for Omi.

see evidence →

Real-world use

commercial

Maturity: commercial. 1 verified deployment in the registry.

see evidence →

Safety record

no-incidents

No incidents on record. 1 verified deployment on file.

What it claims to do

No reviewed capability claims on file.

Price

• $89actual sale price · Based Hardware (Omi product page) ↗ · as of 2025-01-08

Real-world use

• Global

Safety record

No incidents on record. 1 verified deployment on file.

Privacy

Privacy practices disclosed by Based Hardware for Omi, with verification status.

• Capture indicatorverified

  Records and stores your conversations to provide AI feedback and build a personal memory bank. A local-only version is also available where no data is collected by Omi.

  Source: https://docs.omi.me/doc/info/Privacy

• On-device processingverified

  A fully local app version is available where Omi collects no data, you bring your own API keys, and all data stays on your device.

  Source: https://docs.omi.me/doc/info/Privacy

• Third-party sharingverified

  Shares data with third-party providers under strict confidentiality agreements and discloses data only when required by law. Has achieved SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance.

  Source: https://docs.omi.me/doc/info/Privacy

• Data deletion controlverified

  You can view and edit your personal information, opt out of non-essential uses like marketing, and request data deletion within legal and operational limits.

  Source: https://docs.omi.me/doc/info/Privacy

• Cloud uploadverified

  By default, Omi sends encrypted audio to cloud servers for processing via Deepgram for speech-to-text and various LLM providers; an alternative wearable app version is available where all data stays locally on the device and users bring their own API keys.

  Source: https://docs.omi.me/doc/info/Privacy

Specs

notes

• Verified: Omi (by Based Hardware; founder/CEO Nik Shevchenko, Thiel Fellow; San Francisco; ~$700K raised) is a shipping AI necklace in the ambient-recording 'second brain' category. One of the few TRULY open-hardware entries in the cohort (MIT-licensed, actively maintained). maturity=commercial.
• DISAMBIGUATION: Omi is DISTINCT from Friend (Avi Schiffmann's AI companion pendant, in registry as friend-pendant). Nik Shevchenko's device was originally also called 'Friend' but was renamed to Omi after Schiffmann's competing device bought friend.com (~$1.8M). Keep separate.
• AI-substance: genuine (cloud): Real cloud AI (GPT-4o): ambient transcription, auto-summaries/tasks, searchable memory, daily recaps. Not veneer. Captive-vs-sale: hardware SALE + optional SaaS subscription (user owns device; can self-host given the open stack).
• CAP-FLAG (aspirational EEG/brain-interface claims): Marketing (CES 2025 headlines: 'reads your mind', detect when you address it via neural signal) is UNVERIFIED: TechCrunch explicitly could not verify the brain interface; the SHIPPING product is audio-only; the brain/BCI module is roadmap (2026-2027, priority-access) with NO EEG/BCI implementation in the repo (only a 'BCI' topic tag). Treat all neural/mind-reading claims as aspirational. '250+ developer apps' is company-claimed, not audited.

specs

Small circular orb (~2.5cm) on a neck lanyard (also head-mountable). $89 consumer / ~$70 dev (one-time). Free tier: unlimited on-device transcription + 1,200 cloud min/mo; Omi Unlimited from $16/mo. GPT-4o cloud AI: ambient transcription (25+ languages), auto-summaries/tasks, searchable memory DB, daily recaps, 'Brain Map'. Genuinely open-source (GitHub BasedHardware/omi, MIT, ~12.7k stars, firmware + Flutter/macOS apps + open hardware incl. 'Omi Glass').

formFactor

wearable (AI necklace orb; ambient recording / 'second brain' transcription + recall)

What's under the hood

No brain on file for Omi.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Omi actually available for purchase?

Yes, shipping now.Source: Omi (vs Friend): AI wearable; renamed after Avi Schiffmann bought friend.com; brain-interface UNVERIFIED

What does the Omi cost?

Omi costs $89 one-time (actual sale price).Source: Based Hardware (Omi product page)

Where is the Omi being used?

Omi is in use at: Global.Source: Omi

Is the Omi safe?

No incidents on record across 1 verified deployment.

How does the Omi handle privacy?

Based Hardware has disclosed 5 privacy practices for Omi: capture indicator (Records and stores your conversations to provide AI feedback and build a personal memory bank. A local-only version is also available whe..), on-device processing (A fully local app version is available where Omi collects no data, you bring your own API keys, and all data stays on your device), third-party sharing (Shares data with third-party providers under strict confidentiality agreements and discloses data only when required by law. Has achieved..), data deletion control (You can view and edit your personal information, opt out of non-essential uses like marketing, and request data deletion within legal and..), and cloud upload (By default, Omi sends encrypted audio to cloud servers for processing via Deepgram for speech-to-text and various LLM providers; an alter..).Source: https://docs.omi.me/doc/info/Privacy

Who makes the Omi?

Omi is made by Based Hardware, based in unknown.Source: Omi (vs Friend): AI wearable; renamed after Avi Schiffmann bought friend.com; brain-interface UNVERIFIED

Video

Compare side by side

• Omi vs Hey Pocketby Open Vision Engineering (Hey Pocket) · wearable
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• Omi vs INMO Air3by INMO · wearable

Sources

1. Omi (vs Friend): AI wearable; renamed after Avi Schiffmann bought friend.com; brain-interface UNVERIFIED · https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/08/omi-a-competitor-to-friend-is-an-ai-wearable-that-can-be-worn-as-a-necklace-or-taped-to-your-head/ ↗
2. BasedHardware/omi (open-source, MIT; ~12.7k stars; firmware + apps + open hardware; active 2026) · https://github.com/BasedHardware/omi ↗
3. Omi product: $89 consumer / ~$70 dev; free 1,200 cloud min/mo; Omi Unlimited from $16/mo; GPT-4o · https://www.omi.me/pages/product ↗
4. OmiGPT smarter AI wearable (ambient transcription + searchable memory) · https://decrypt.co/315375/omigpt-aims-smarter-ai-wearable ↗
5. Omi · https://www.omi.me/ ↗
6. https://docs.omi.me/doc/info/Privacy ↗