Letter To Humane: Trinity Site
Excitement, Concerns, and Recommendations
Dear Humane,
My goal is to improve home caregiving for families, especially elderly parents.
Both my parents recently died. Both were in their late 80s and had dementia. To help my wife and I care for my parents at home, I built an Apple Watch app that pushes home caregivers real-time alerts about emergent health and safety issues (e.g. falls, wandering beyond a geofence, out-of-range vitals).
Over the past holiday season, I watched your Change Everything video and BoF VOICES talk. I also read your patents.
I’m excited about Humane!
Humane’s device (from what I gleaned) could overcome caregiving challenges unsolved by current wearables like Apple Watch. Particularly for people like my parents who could not navigate screen-based phone or watch interfaces. Humane could be a life-changing device and platform for healthcare and caregiving.
But I’m also worried about Humane.
First, I’m worried Humane might wear out humanity with media fatigue. I already have thousands of unwatched videos and images of beloved family members. I’m not sure I want or need an AI device that captures and processes more ambient media on my behalf. Even if all my archived media were Transformer’d, NERF’d, Phenaki’d, and ChatGPT4’d into interactive, conversational Princess Leia holograms, I’m not sure this would improve my life or just weigh me down more. Humane eerily reminds me of the science fiction story Snow about a consumer device called a wasp that buzzes around an individual at all times, collecting memories of their life so loved ones can commune with them after they pass away. My day currently begins with a glance at a framed, printed photo of my parents and late brother. I don’t know if it’s healthy for me to spend more time than that pondering my past. I don’t know if living backward — with immaculate fidelity, immersion, and persistence — will help me move forward. Reckoning with suffering and loss by forgetting memories seems quintessentially human: vital for bereavement and healing.
Second, I’m concerned early adopters wearing Humane’s device will become risible targets for arrows of derision (or worse, physical assault) like those that killed Google Glass. This reaction and behavior would not only be an existential threat to Humane but a huge setback for the wearable and AR industries.
Third, most of all, I’m fearful Humane will divide us rather than unite us. The wearable and AR industries–Humane, Meta, Apple, etc. — might open a Pandora’s Box that plagues humanity with problems of sousveillance. As wearable recording devices become more publicly visible, privacy invasions, misinformation, disinformation, impersonation, trolling, stalking, cyberbullying, NSFW content, revenge porn, and ultimately divisiveness will grow. Generative AI and deep fakes will amplify sousveillance issues. If you have a daughter, as I do, you might grok just how inhumane Humane could be. Like it or not, the cultural imprinting and status signaling associated with wearing (and not wearing) Humane’s device (as well as other wearables) is going to be politically charged. A badge possibly representing progressive liberalism or reactionary illiberalism. A symbol that divides us into in-groups versus out-groups.
I hope I’m wrong about these concerns.
Maybe I’m overly paranoid about the nuclear fallout of AI and wearables. I hope Humane has already addressed my issues with viable solutions. If not, I humbly offer the following recommendations.
Niche Market
Rather than solely targeting consumers at the outset, Humane should hedge by cultivating a niche market, viz., healthcare/caregiving. After you capture this vertical market, Humane could then grow horizontally, cautiously, and then eventually become a mass-market consumer device. Unlike the consumer market, healthcare/caregiving wearers have visible, justified medical needs so bespoke devices are warranted and can thus be donned with minimal fears of ridicule, privacy invasion, or triggering sousveillance issues.
Humane could partner with medical providers, clinics, hospitals, insurers, nursing homes, and rehab/assisted living centers to engage multiple audiences in dire need of innovative healthcare/caregiving devices.
Digital Content Authenticity and Provenance
“What makes a great song great is not its close resemblance to a recognizable work. Writing a good song is not mimicry, or replication, or pastiche, it is the opposite. It is an act of self-murder that destroys all one has strived to produce in the past. It is those dangerous, heart-stopping departures that catapult the artist beyond the limits of what he or she recognises as their known self. This is part of the authentic creative struggle that precedes the invention of a unique lyric of actual value; it is the breathless confrontation with one’s vulnerability, one’s perilousness, one’s smallness, pitted against a sense of sudden shocking discovery; it is the redemptive artistic act that stirs the heart of the listener, where the listener recognizes in the inner workings of the song their own blood, their own struggle, their own suffering. This is what we humble humans can offer, that AI can only mimic, the transcendent journey of the artist that forever grapples with his or her own shortcomings. This is where human genius resides, deeply embedded within, yet reaching beyond, those limitations.”
— Nick Cave https://www.theredhandfiles.com/chat-gpt-what-do-you-think/
Struggle is what makes the creative process human. Struggle stirs authenticity into Duende.
I don’t know if Humane is already building technology for digital content authenticity and provenance, but you should do so from the get-go. By memorializing the authentic creative struggle–from raw digital capture, to edits and revisions, to final published artwork — digital content authenticity and provenance provide a way to distinguish human creation versus AI generation. This is vital for not only artistic valuation, digital rights management, and intellectual property litigation, but also for detecting and deterring malicious deep fakes.
Humane needs to implement trust signals (e.g., watermarking and biometrics) for authenticity and provenance in its device hardware. Humane should consult the technical specifications defined by Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), be an active member of C2PA, and teach media literacy.
Without authenticity and provenance, AI will destroy Art as well as Truth and Democracy.
I spent over two decades struggling to improve democracy by making news, journalism, and social networking more trustworthy, egalitarian, and inclusive. In 2013, I founded a social networking startup aimed at helping activists tell their stories. In 2000, I launched a civic journalism (now called citizen journalism) site called Public Press.
Truth and Democracy are dying today due to an epistemic crisis. We are trapped in an age of impunity fueled by fake news spread by for-profit surveillance platforms. AI makes news fabrication easier and fact-checking harder. What’s needed is for devices and technology platforms to ground stories with authenticity and provenance.
As an imprimatur of truth and an apostille for authenticity, Humane could revolutionize how we communicate in a factual, trustworthy manner–in news, journalism, and social networking.
Storytelling
“I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty, and to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, ‘Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.’ I suppose we all thought that, one way or another”
— J. Robert Oppenheimer https://youtu.be/lb13ynu3Iac
Humane’s launch is a Trinity Site moment.
A detonation where Promethean sousveillance technology will be unleashed. The world after will not be the same. You only get one chance to introduce Humane to the world. One phrase or just one word can change how the Future views your company, product, and technology. As humane or inhumane. As Oppenheimer, Arjuna, or Vishnu.
Humane must own the narrative about sousveillance and get ahead of negative press before critics do.
Humane’s origin story and vision should acknowledge yet negate fears of Panopticon. Rather than exclusively depicting a blithe consumer wonderland for young hipsters in halter tops, Humane’s vision should also teach us how and why Humane’s device will halt sousveillance fears, steer humanity away from an Orwellian telescreen fate, and insure a future with kindness, care, altruism, erudition, and ecological stewardship.
Unlike dystopian futures, documented fully by science fiction, Humane has the opportunity and responsibility to author a new (hopeful) book on sousveillance, e.g., maybe an optimistic story introducing paraveillance wherein ambient cameras — worn publicly and privately — create a more connected, safer, and harmonious culture: where Social Network 2.0 is IRL and enables family, friends, and neighbors to stay connected — to watch along–and to help each other, especially those with greatest needs, e.g., elderly, young, sick, oppressed, and marginalized. The specter of sousveillance device hardware coupled with AI fears makes your storytelling urgent and paramount. Humane needs to convince the world how you will keep AI humane:
“More humane than humane.” — Bladerunner misquotation
To win fans, Humane’s storytelling must convince consumers that wearing Humane signals to others that they are more than fun, hip fashion trendsetters and influencers, but that they are also problem-solvers, caregivers, and better parents who are enlightened, engaged, empathetic, and kind. Your stories need to convince people that Humane elevates status. The labels and words you choose to describe Humane’s product are going to influence who wears Humane, who develops for Humane’s platform, how early adopters are viewed, and how acolytes believe they are viewed. Your rap and flow need to make wearers and developers think others will view them as creative spirits who are open and friendly. Your fans need to view themselves as storytellers, explorers, and astronauts in Humane’s new product universe.
From a branding perspective, Humane has at least two essential storytelling challenges:
(a) Describe your new device in three words or less (so people can feel good about it and explain it to others)
(b) Give your device a name that makes people want to wear it (rather than fear, loathe, or lampoon it).
For (a), a two-word description might be “Wearable AI” as in “Humane makes a Wearable AI device”. There might be existing examples of this description in the industry so Wearable AI might not need to carve out new mindshare, but Humane should hopefully be the industry’s state-of-the-art embodiment.
For (b), choosing the name for your device might be the single most challenging storytelling task for Humane. Akin to titling a poem with just one word.
(Note, choosing a device name is complicated because your current branding assets — Humane, eclipse logo, and “Building for the Intelligence Age” — are incongruous: It’s not clear how they fit together. Why and how does AI make us humane? What does the eclipse signify? Perhaps the eclipse is darkness/ignorance and your device is going to remove this darkness with a new era of AI that will allow the full light of humanity to shine?)
Humane’s device name should be one or two syllables so wearers can readily speak commands to it as if the device were a friend — a close companion. A friendly-sounding name is vital to minimize the unwanted specters of surveillance and sousveillance. Your device name needs to make a Humane wearer love their device and see it as a must-wear accessory. A talisman. A loyal, steadfast buddy that will go anywhere with them and brighten their day.
A good match for Humane’s device depends on your vibe, ambition, how flexible you are about reinterpreting your logo, and maybe most of all, the size of your marketing budget.
Given your imminent launch this spring(?), I assume Humane chose a compelling name for your device and scripted go-to-market stories long ago. In case you have not, here are a few device names and branding concepts (as somebody who is intrigued by literary puzzles, I spent a few weeks pondering names, anthems, and narratives for Humane just for fun).
1. Light as a metaphor for intelligence, insight, illumination
Halo is a straightforward, safe bet as a name for Humane’s device. Halo signifies intelligence as a circle of light radiating around the sun or moon. Your circular sun/moon logo emanating light is a natural fit for Halo. The idea is that Humane casts insight (light rays) illuminating any object or situation, making life brighter and filled with spontaneous insight, joy, and enlightenment. Like wearing a jacket, people might remind each other before departing to, “Put on your Halo!”
Furthermore, what might be non-obvious and what makes Halo a slamdunk name is that Halo can also identify a distinguishing element in Humane’s UX: Wherever ambient intelligence is cast via laser projection by Humane’s device–e.g. on a wearer’s palm or on a surface–Humane could brand these flashes of insight/menus as halos.
A commercial for Halo could be scripted to Beyoncé’s song Halo. In fact, here’s a video commercial transcript I asked ChatGPT to generate based on Humane’s technology and Beyoncé’s Halo…
[Music begins: “Halo” by Beyonce]
[Visuals: A person wearing the Halo device walking through a city, the device projecting information and graphics onto the surrounding environment]
[Lyrics: I can feel your halo, halo, halo
I can see your halo, halo, halo
I can feel your halo, halo, halo
I can see your halo, halo, halo]
[Narration: Introducing Halo, the revolutionary wearable device that puts the power of contextual computing at your fingertips. With a camera, depth sensor, and laser projection system, Halo captures and processes multimedia data, allowing you to interact with your surroundings in a whole new way. Whether you’re exploring a new city, learning about a museum exhibit, or simply want to keep in touch with loved ones, Halo makes it easy and intuitive.]
[Visuals: The person using the Halo to make a video call, access information about a nearby restaurant, and project a map onto the ground to navigate]
[Lyrics: Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You’re the only one that I want
Think I’m addicted to your light]
[Narration: And with a foundation of trust and privacy, you can feel confident that your personal information is secure with Halo. Whether you’re looking to connect with the world around you, or simply want to enhance your daily life, Halo is here to bridge the gap.]
[Lyrics: I can feel your halo, halo, halo
I can see your halo, halo, halo
I can feel your halo, halo, halo
I can see your halo, halo, halo]
[Narration: Experience the future of computing with Halo. Available now.]
Here’s another script including a theme song based on Beyonce’s Halo…
“Introducing Halo by Humane — the ultimate wearable for the intelligence age. With its cutting-edge camera, depth sensor, and laser projection system, Halo captures and processes multimedia data like never before. Simply wear Halo and let its advanced technology identify objects, track gestures, and obtain data at the touch of a finger. And with its sleek, body-worn design, Halo goes wherever you go, making it the perfect companion for any situation.
But that’s not all. Halo’s cloud computing platform and application ecosystem bring a whole new level of functionality to your fingertips. Imagine being able to project laser images of your favorite photos, videos, and information onto any surface, all with a simple gesture. The possibilities are endless with Halo.
So why wait? Experience the future of technology today with Halo by Humane. Building for the intelligence age, one wearable at a time.”
(Music: “Halo” by Beyonce)
Verse 1:
I can see your halo
You wear it like a crown
Halo by Humane
The future’s coming down
Chorus:
Halo, halo
Bringing magic to your touch
Halo, halo
Experience the future, that’s a must
Verse 2:
I can feel your power
You’re changing the game
Halo by Humane
It’s more than just a name
Chorus:
Halo, halo
Bringing magic to your touch
Halo, halo
Experience the future, that’s a must
Bridge:
So put on your halo
And let it shine bright
With Halo by Humane
The world is a delight
Names similar to Halo might be:
Joy (Matches your core values)
Aura (Like halo)
Glory (Like halo)
SunDog (Like halo; a device that fetches [like a “dog”] insight [“sun”])
Nova
Charm
Gem
Ray
Glow
Spark
Sparkle
Flash
Flare
2. Mavericks, rebels, and trendsetters
I can’t distinguish if your logo is a partial solar or lunar eclipse. From your Change Everything video it appears your logo is a solar eclipse because when the transit event occurs, the world becomes illuminated with sunlight.
If your logo were a lunar eclipse, an apt name for your device would be Luna.
Luna is the goddess of the moon, a friend watching over you who illuminates your path, especially during times of darkness (ignorance).
Beyond the metaphor of intelligence cast as light, the name Luna is particularly compelling because it also gives Humane the opportunity to galvanize a movement of early adopters and developers with an audacious collective identity:
Lunatics.
Lunatics are mad enough to wear Luna anywhere. Lunatics are trendsetters. “Madness” would create cultural imprinting for wearers that would make others see them as fearless mavericks. This fearlessness could tamp down sousveillance fears.
Humane’s call-to-action to wearers and developers could be: Join the Lunacy or Be a Lunatic!
Promotional media for Luna could use Nirvana’s Dumb as the soundtrack with vignettes matched to the song’s lyrics. Notably…
I’m not like them, but I can pretend
[independent-minded but decorous]
The sun is gone, but I have a light
[Humane’s Luna device]
The day is done, but I’m having fun
[free-spirited]
I think I’m dumb
[proud to be a Lunatic]
Or maybe I’m just happy
[emanating joy]
…would resonate as an anthem for self-expression where Humane’s device is donned by Lunatics who don’t seek to fit into existing tribes. Lunatics are free, define their own styles and tribes, and thus lead movements that others follow.
An alternate soundtrack might be Luna by Smashing Pumpkins…
Who belongs
[proud and confident to be free and independent-minded]
Who decides who’s crazy
[Lunatics make their own rules]
Who rights wrongs where others cling?
[Lunatics are brave, take risks, and fight for social justice while others cling to armchairs]
If you wanted to continue your hip-hop Change Everything theme, you could script Luna to Changes by Tupac.
From a literary viewpoint, Humane could narrate Luna with the passage…
“…The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww! [lunar eclipse moves to reveal Humane’s logo] ”
–Jack Kerouac, On the Road
Humane’s Luna narrative could depict how mad ones (Lunatics) build up the vast landscape of human achievement–from athletes, adventurers, activists, and artists, to politicians and scientists, mathematicians, and AI innovators: Stephen Curry, Nims Purja, Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, José Andrés, Trent Reznor, Tupac, AOC, Katie Porter, Jane Goodall, National Ignition Facility scientists, Alan Turing, Claude Shannon, Donald Knuth, John McCarthy, Allen Newell, Herbert Simon, Marvin Minsky …
A Lunatics/Mad Ones commercial would be an obvious homage (and upgrade) to Apple’s Think Different campaign.
Alternative names to Luna that might also fit Humane’s device:
Lumi (“Loo-mee” is friendly and the new selfie could be a “Lumi”; lumi means light; the universe of Lumi wearers could be the Lumiverse)
Lumai (Portmanteau of “Lumen” and Japanse dance “Mai” that involves hand gestures evocative of laser projected light onto wearer’s hands, Lumai could mean “light dance”)
Luma (Like “Luna”, “Lumatics”)
Lux (Short and easy; switch on intelligence/illumination as quickly as a flashlight)
3. Wearable superpowers
Obscure, rare names are advantageous because they are less likely to be used for existing marketing or cultural references. Obscure names can therefore readily become generic trademarks.
As a counter-example to an obscure name, Lumos is a poor choice for Humane’s device or platform. Though Lumos connotes “lumen” or “light”, the word Lumos was popularized and will remain best known as a spell from Harry Potter.
Chaka is an obscure word that means “bridge” in Quechua: The word bridge not only in its material meaning, but also in the deeper sense of “bridge of consciousness”.
Chaka is a fun name for Humane’s device and could become a generic trademark. Chaka sounds like a dependable, energetic, powerful friend who you can call on for help anytime. Chaka also evokes Chakra and a vibe that when you put on your Chaka device you gain superpowers — a bridge to consciousness, human connection, indomitable spirit, and energy.
Chaka is a homonym for the Hawaiian word Shaka, a hand sign for “Hang Loose”, “Right On”, and “All Good”. Humane’s eclipse logo might playfully be morphed to match the outline of a Shaka hand sign as needed for visual promotions. Like the name Halo, menus laser-projected onto a wearer’s hand, providing illuminated intelligence, could be branded as instances of Chaka. “I got some Chaka!”, “Chaka says…”, “Hey Chaka…”
A natural fit and fun song for Chaka could be I Feel for You by Chaka Khan.
Here is a potential video commercial for Chaka and I Feel for You generated by ChatGPT…
[The commercial opens with a shot of a person wearing the Chaka device, walking down a crowded city street. As they walk, they make subtle hand gestures, and the song “I Feel for You” by Chaka Khan begins to play.]
[The commercial cuts to a shot of the Chaka device projected onto a wall, showing data and multimedia being accessed through gestures. The person wearing the device is able to easily and seamlessly interact with the technology, as if it were a natural extension of themselves.]
[As the song continues, the commercial shows various scenes of the Chaka device being used in different settings — at home, at work, and on the go. In each scene, the device is able to enhance the user’s experience and connect them with the world around them in new and innovative ways.]
[As the chorus of the song plays, the commercial shows a montage of people of all ages and backgrounds using the Chaka device and enjoying its benefits. The message is clear — Chaka is a technology that is not only innovative and user-friendly but also brings joy and improves the human experience.]
[The commercial ends with a shot of the Humane logo, a partial solar eclipse, and the tagline “Building for the Intelligence Age”]
Alternative names like Chaka could be:
Charma (Wearable Charm + Dharma)
Chakra (Wearable locus of spiritual and physical energy; Sanskrit cakra meaning “wheel or circle” matches the shape of Humane’s logo and a round (presumably) device)
Humi (Sounds like a proper noun; obscure name so could be a generic trademark; the universe of intelligence enabled by Humane could be the Humiverse)
Huma (Similar to Humi, prefix that matches Humane, Humaverse)
4. Enlightenment
Enso is the Zen symbol for enlightenment. It is a “circle of togetherness” formed by a single brushstroke.
Enso might be the best-fitting name for Humane’s device:
The meaning of Enso matches Humane’s philosophy.
The Enso shape matches Humane’s logo. The outline of an eclipse can be artistically traced by an Enso.
Enso is two syllables so can be uttered quickly and sounds like a proper noun: A friend with an honorific title (like Sensei) that you can talk to as a close companion or seek guidance from as a mentor.
Finally, perhaps most conveniently, Enso is a symbol. So instead of a name that equates to a concrete object, Humane’s device can be regarded as a reification of the Enso symbol.
An alternative to Enso might be Bodhi. Bodhi also refers to enlightenment and sounds like a buddy, a mentor, and a clothing accessory worn on your body (bodhi).
Another good device name might be Dharma. Dharma connotes virtuous behavior and is aligned with Humane’s philosophy and core values of Truth, Trust, and Joy.
5. Pathfinding–Discovery, Search, Navigation, Guidance
Given that Humane is trying to establish a new product category–e.g., the Wearable AI category–the ultimate device name might be one that immortalizes Humane as the creator of this space, where Humane’s device name becomes a generic trademark. Like Kleenex or Band-aid.
Here are several names, in no particular order, that might be generic trademarks provided they are not associated with existing brands or cultural references (I didn’t check). These names emphasize how Humane’s device is a tool for pathfinding–directional navigation and informational guidance (a data compass for insight):
FlashHand (Buddy that is a good hand/helper, always ready to help; projects flashes of insight onto your hand)
DiscGo (Round device for discovery and navigation; sounds like “disco”)
Glowaround (Round device that casts halos of insight around objects)
Lumaway (Illuminated path)
FlashWay/FlashPath (Illuminated path)
WayGlo (Illuminated path; rhymes with “Day-Glo”)
WayLux (Illuminated path)
RayWay (Illuminated path via laser)
RayBot (AI robot that casts path of illumination via laser)
WayBot (AI robot that casts path of illumination)
FlashBot (AI robot that casts path of illumination)
WearBot (AI robot for your clothing)
In closing, I am cheering for Humane.
I applaud your ambition and appreciate your work. I hope Humane thrives so I can build family caregiving apps with your device and platform.
I did not originally plan to share my excitement, concerns, and suggestions with you. However, the recent takeover of Twitter, voluminous hype about ChatGPT (and before that Stable Diffusion), and last week’s State of the Union speech where POTUS emphasized Big Tech accountability made me worry more about AI’s dangerous impacts on humanity. Hence I felt compelled to try my best to communicate with you. I hope this letter helps you.
Long ago, I lived in the Bay Area and remember Apple’s challenges versus Microsoft/IBM, the failure of General Magic, and the demise of Google Glass (no doubt you remember these times too, and I imagine you even played a direct role in several of them).
I remember when Silicon Valley was fueled more by the romance of innovation to help humanity rather than the monetization of technology at the expense of Privacy, Truth, and Democracy. Given Humane’s esteemed background, accomplishments, acumen, and talent, I hope Humane embraces responsible AI as a core value and safeguards humanity from usurpation by AI itself and the industry's quest for AI hegemony.
Last Super Bowl Sunday reminded me of watching Apple’s Macintosh commercial in 1984.
Next year — when Humane has overcome Orwellian problems of sousveillance and AI singularity — I’ll be on the lookout for Humane’s Super Bowl LVIII commercial that tells us “Why 2024 will not be like 1984”. A parody of Apple’s 1984 Macintosh commercial that casts the slogan “The Future Is Not On Your Face” as Winston’s Room 101 in Orwell’s 1984. ;)
With gassho,
Russell Okamoto
