Exploring the Quirky Charm of the Looki L1 AI Pendant: A Hands-On Review

The Looki L1, a unique wearable device showcased at CES 2026, caught my attention. It is a small camera shaped like an obscure Pokémon that is worn around the neck. The device tracks your activities, offers AI assistance, and provides feedback on your lifestyle choices. During my test of the L1 at CES, I wore it for a full day to see how it performed in a busy environment.

Here is my experience with the Looki L1 in Las Vegas.

Photo and Video Quality Assessment

Looki claims that the L1 can shoot 1080p videos and capture photos at 1080p resolution, which sounds impressive on paper. However, my testing revealed varying results. The outdoor footage taken by the camera looked impressive, but indoor shots appeared grainy, similar to HD webcams. The quality is decent but not perfect.

The battery life of the L1 is another aspect to consider. When the AI is set to record in “Story Mode,” the battery can last up to 12 hours. However, continuous recording of short videos can drain the battery quickly. This is expected as video recording consumes a significant amount of energy.

AI Assistant Evaluation

Looki’s AI assistant, similar to Humane’s AI Pin, offers tracking of daily activities, provides comments, and answers questions when prompted. While the AI functionality works reasonably well, it may struggle to respond in noisy environments like the CES show floor. Nevertheless, it offers basic assistance without the need for expensive subscriptions.

Dave McQuilling / Foundry

Contextual Understanding

The L1’s key feature is its ability to create a narrative of your day based on visual inputs. However, its contextual interpretation can be inconsistent at times. For instance, a casual remark led to a misleading summary title in the daily report. Despite some inaccuracies, the AI feature adds a unique aspect to the user experience.

The L1 also offers the functionality to transform daily experiences into comic strips using AI. While the feature seems appealing, the process can be complex for users. Generating a comic strip requires a sufficient number of photos and videos, which may not be immediately evident to users.

Dave McQuilling / Foundry

Final Thoughts on the Looki L1

Despite its shortcomings in video quality and AI functionality, the Looki L1 offers a novel and engaging experience, especially for vloggers. The device provides a unique perspective on daily activities and offers a convenient ‘set-and-forget’ usability. With further AI development, the L1 could become a compelling choice for certain users.

The Looki L1 is priced at $199 and is available for purchase on the Looki website. While it may not be a standout product at CES, it offers a distinctive user experience that appeals to a specific audience.