What Hark launched and why it matters
Brett Adcock's AI-first hardware outfit, Hark, just unveiled Hark Pro, an app built to take action for you, not just chat back. It was announced Tuesday and is positioned to buy groceries, arrange a car, or build a spreadsheet without you micromanaging the steps. The software is free on the web and via iOS and Android, with optional subscriptions that lift usage caps to 2x for $20 a month or 10x for $100.
Hark is setting the table with software now, while its first devices are due next year. A wider family of AI hardware will start to roll out in 2027, according to Hark's head of design Abidur Chowdhury.
Under the hood: Handoff, action buttons and real-world chores
Hark Pro runs on Handoff, the company's own cloud computer that remembers what you tell it and uses that context to handle everyday to-dos. Think of it flagging a child's lunch-card balance when it dips and refilling it, or spotting in your inbox that you arranged airfare but forgot to reserve a hotel. In another scenario, Hark says the app could choose your movie seats, evaluate where to park, secure parking in a nearby garage, and deliver the entry QR code just as you're about to need it.
Under the covers, Handoff can keep as many as six browsers going at once and log in to millions of websites for you. It features what the company calls Action Buttons for quick moves like paying a bill or canceling a service, along with features for building custom mini-apps. The system also keeps track of your preferences - from favorite dog breeds to document formatting - and uses that context throughout the experience.
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Hardware vision, partnerships and the crowded field
"We want them to be portable, and useful in the home and workplace," Chowdhury said, describing the devices' role. He drew a hard line on certain form factors: "We aren't in the game to make wearable cameras - we don't really believe in glasses with cameras or a pin you can wear. We understand the culture more than some of these other AI companies." Hark is partnering with AT&T Inc. to provide cellular service.
Competition is getting louder. OpenAI last week unveiled an always-on agent and is developing a family of AI products led by Apple veteran Jony Ive. Meta Platforms Inc. has newly debuted the Charm, a palm-sized device intended to run Muse, the company's widely popular new AI agent. Meanwhile, Apple is expected to roll out smart-home hardware built around Siri and has camera-equipped AirPods on the roadmap for 2027.
Money, momentum and what to watch
Adcock, who also co-founded Archer Aviation, has committed $100 million of his own money to Hark. The startup is valued at $6 billion. He expects Hark to expand in parallel with Figure AI Inc., his humanoid robotics effort, which reached a $39 billion valuation last September. Outside of the AT&T tie-up, Adcock has stated that Hark's devices will be "distinct from existing handsets, wearables and smart glasses," and that going without one would feel like "a day of lost information."
For your money, the signal is clear: AI agents that quietly handle chores in the background are moving from pitch to product, and that could reshape how you interact with services you already use and pay for.
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