Aina Unveils AI Ring That Predicts Users’ Next Actions
The $399 smart ring lets users approve AI-generated suggestions, control connected devices and make calls without reaching for their phones.
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Aina, a consumer hardware startup founded by former Ultrahuman executive Apoorv Shankar, has unveiled an AI-powered ring designed to anticipate users’ needs and control AI agents, apps and connected devices.
The ring features a small screen and joystick-like button that allows users to approve or reject suggested actions with a flick of their thumb.
In a post on X, Shankar described how the device could suggest booking an Uber after breakfast, sending a message when someone is running late or switching on lights upon arriving home.
“AI is proactive now. But it still needs your yes,” he wrote, arguing that repeatedly unlocking a phone to approve AI-generated actions would become impractical as autonomous agents take on more everyday tasks.
Unveiled on Thursday, November 5 after 15 months of development in stealth, the ring is available for pre-order at an introductory price of $399. The retail price will rise to $499, with shipments expected to begin in January 2027.
Unlike conventional smart rings focused on health and fitness, Aina uses a context-aware operating system to learn users’ routines from information including their location, calendar, email and connected applications.
The system is designed to predict three actions a user might need next and display them on the ring for approval.
“Approvals are going to be the future of interfaces and interaction, and we wanted to build a device that just made it easy to approve stuff,” Shankar told Wired.
Aina offers three core functions: Voice, Cues, and Remote.
Voice allows users to communicate with connected AI agents, dictate notes and receive notifications by pressing the ring’s center button. A built-in microphone and speaker also support phone calls.
Cues generates suggestions based on users’ routines, such as offering to book a ride before their usual departure time or send a message when they are running late.
Remote provides controls suited to the user’s current activity, including music playback, television functions and meeting controls on a connected Mac.
The ring connects to iPhones and Macs, although its capabilities depend on supported apps and third-party integrations.
The product has also drawn early interest from the startup ecosystem.
Aina raised $5.5 million in July 2026 from investors including Redstart Labs, 360 ONE Asset and angel investors. Razorpay co-founder Harshil Mathur is among its early backers.
“Probably the first gadget after a while that immediately feels like the future,” Mathur posted on X.
