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Amazon has confirmed that it is acquiring AI wearables company Bee. The news was first revealed via Bee’s website and a social media post from Bee co-founder Maria de Lourdes Zollo. The deal, for an undisclosed amount, is signed but hasn’t closed, an Amazon spokesperson said by email.
The company sells a wristband that records, transcribes and provides feedback on conversations for about $50; a subscription service is also planned.
Those plans are likely to gain steam under Amazon’s ownership. Subscriptions as sources of recurring revenue have long been a focus of Amazon CEO Andy Jassy; in its most recent quarter, the company’s subscription revenue rose 9% to $11.7 billion.
In May, Jassy touted Alexa+, the agentic AI upgrade of the company’s Alexa virtual assistant, and told analysts that the company is investing in AI to further customer service innovations.
All Bee employees received offers to join Amazon, though the company spokesperson declined to provide numbers. Last month, Jassy warned employees that AI was likely to lead to workforce cuts. This year Amazon announced layoffs in its North America retail and bookselling businesses.