Motorola just debuted an AI necklace that wants to replace your smartphone
Published on Jan 09, 2026 at 7:55 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jan 09, 2026 at 12:18 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Motorola has expanded into the world of wearable tech with a new sleek-looking AI necklace that could replace your phone.
The company has worked with Lenovo on the ‘Personal Ambient Intelligence’ necklace, which is powered by its new AI-assistant Qira.
Rather than having to switch between apps, Qira works continuously in the background across different devices and applications.
The new tech was unveiled at CES 2026, and it could be here sooner than you think.
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The Qira AI necklace can do pretty handy stuff
Although the technology is still fairly new, artificial intelligence has become increasingly popular.
People are using it on their work laptops to help write emails, and on their cellphones to lend a hand with all manner of tasks, from oil changes to lowering bills.
And, if Motorola has its way, we might all be wearing AI-powered tech in the not-too-distant future.
The company recently showcased a new wearable device that looks like a simple pendant, but actually serves as an AI assistant.
The pendant has a small camera, which helps it to ‘see’, and a microphone, so it can ‘listen’ to its surroundings.
Unlike AI-tech you might have on your phone or tablet, the necklace is always on and ready to help.
“It’s always present: understanding what you’re doing and supporting you in the moment, with your permission,” Lenovo and Motorola said in a press release.
“By sharing experiences with you over time, it learns your intent, anticipates needs, and acts in ways that feel natural and personal.”
In demonstrations at CES 2026, the Qira necklace was able to recognize objects and read text printed on a flyer.
It was even able to open up Google Maps on a paired device and fill in the destination.
Sharing another real-life example of when the necklace could save time and effort, Motorola said it could record a presentation at a conference and then draft a LinkedIn post summarizing the speech, all without the wearer having to touch their phone.
The Qira AI-assistant is being rolled out soon
As well as being embedded into the necklace, Qira will be available across a variety of devices, like your phone and PC, so it can follow you seamlessly, whatever you’re doing.
For now, the AI necklace is just a proof of concept with no clear timeline for when, or even if, it will go into production in the future.
However, the Qira AI-assistant will start rolling out onto Lenovo devices in the early part of this year.
It’ll then be introduced on Motorola smartphones at a later date.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
