Omi, a new wearable device, is pushing the boundaries of AI companionship by incorporating brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. This innovative device can read users' brain waves, allowing it to understand when they're talking to it and when they're not. The $89 wearable, which resembles a round white puck, is stuck to the user's temple with medical tape.

The device's creator, Nik Shevchenko, demonstrated the device's capabilities by asking it a question about The Verge, a news media website. After a 15-second delay, the device provided an AI-generated response about the website's reputation. Although the technology is still in its early stages, Shevchenko envisions a future where the device can understand and save users' thoughts, potentially changing the way people interact with AI devices.

Currently, Omi's primary function is as an always-listening device that can help users make sense of their daily lives. It can summarize meetings or conversations, provide information, and even offer action items. The device has no wake word, but users can talk to it directly. Omi also has an app store, which developers are already using to integrate the audio input into various services like Zapier and Google Drive.

For Shevchenko, Omi is more than just a device – it's a personal mentor. He grew up on an island near Japan, far from the tech visionaries he admired. Shevchenko cold-emailed people like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, seeking advice and mentorship, but never received a response. Instead, he built his own AI companion, which he uses to get feedback and guidance.

Omi's "Personas" feature allows users to plug in anyone's social media handle and create a bot that assumes their persona. Shevchenko has been chatting with an AI Elon Musk, which helps him understand what he should be working on and provides feedback. The wearable even reminds him to take care of himself when he's sick.

Although Omi's technology is relatively simple – it's mostly just a microphone – the AI is the key to its functionality. The device will ship widely in the second quarter of this year, with 5,000 early adopters already using it to help remember things, look up information, and perform tasks common to AI assistants.

Omi bears some resemblance to other wearables like the Limitless Pendant and Friend. In fact, Shevchenko initially called his device Friend, but changed the name to avoid confusion and due to Friend CEO Avi Schiffmann's $1.8 million investment in the Friend.com domain. Shevchenko is confident that Omi can improve upon these devices, with its open-source code and 250 apps in the store.

The future of AI companionship is rapidly evolving, with devices like Omi, Friend, Character.AI, and Replika becoming increasingly popular. As AI models improve, they will require more information about users and more ways to help them. Omi's approach, combining an always-on microphone with an app store, may be the key to unlocking the next level of AI companionship.