Taya Necklace Reimagines AI Wearables; Public Preorders Open

Taya has now opened public pre-orders for its AI-powered necklace after an initial limited run offered exclusively to early supporters. The Taya Necklace is designed first as jewelry: a timeless, jewelry-grade piece that fits effortlessly into your everyday style, then quietly adds the power of private, on-demand AI voice capture. It helps people catch passing thoughts and creative ideas during the day in short, intentional voice notes, without asking them to compromise on how they look and feel, whether dressed for work, the weekend, or a night out.

Most wearables are built from the inside out: start with technology, then try to cram it into acceptable hardware. The result is a category of visible gadget people test but rarely choose to live in. Women have long driven what actually gets worn on the body, yet wearable have rarely been designed with them in mind. Taya flips the script: it starts with jewelry, built with identity, emotion, and longevity in mind, and then integrates intelligence into that form.

Where many AI wearables blur the line between technology and surveillance with an always-on approach, Taya takes the opposite approach: it’s AI that listens only when you ask and only to you. With a simple tap, the necklace records a short voice memo, which is securely processed and organized in the Taya app. When idle, it’s simply a beautifully designed piece of jewelry you’d want to wear even if the technology didn’t exist. There is no passive listening, no notifications, no visible tech.

Founded by Stanford-trained designer and former Apple engineer Elena Wagenmans, Taya was built on the belief that what we wear should feel as natural and personal as the jewelry people already love.

“People don’t just want another smart device. They want jewelry they feel good wearing, with intelligence thoughtfully built in,” said Wagenmans, founder and CEO of Taya. “The future of wearables isn’t about being always on. It’s about being intentionally on. We’re creating visually stunning jewelry you want to wear, not a gadget you tolerate.”

At the heart of the Taya Necklace is a directional, voice-focused capture system that prioritizes the wearer rather than the environment. It’s crafted for quick, private reflections, like a passing idea on a walk, an inspiration between meetings, or a reminder you don’t want to lose. Each recording is processed securely and turned into a searchable personal archive within the app, giving wearers a subtle, empowering way to stay organized and connected to their thoughts.

“Privacy isn’t a feature; it’s a foundation,” Wagenmans added. “If AI is going to become part of our daily lives, it needs to respect boundaries and blend effortlessly into how we live.”

Taya is creating a category the wearable industry has never meaningfully attempted: AI designed as jewelry, for a consumer the tech industry has consistently underestimated. It’s as much about aesthetic expression as it is about mindful technology. The Taya Necklace is currently in active development, with first production units expected to ship later this year. Pre-orders are open now at tayanecklace.com for $89 towards the final purchase price.

Taya recently announced a $5 million seed round led by MaC Venture Capital and Female Founders Fund, with participation from a16z speedrun, to support continued development of its AI jewelry category.