The Looki L1 is one of the most unique wearables I spotted at CES 2026.
It’s a tiny little camera that’s shaped like some kind of obscure Pokémon and worn around your neck. It then tracks your day, provides AI “help”, and gently criticizes your life choices. At least, it did in my case.
To test out the L1, I decided to wear it for a full day of the show. Admittedly, I picked “Day 2”, which is a touch quieter than both pre-show and the notoriously hectic opening day of the world’s biggest trade show. But there was still more than enough going on to keep me occupied.
Here’s how the Looki L1 fared in Las Vegas.
Photo and video quality is a mixed bag
Looki claims the L1 is capable of shooting 1080p videos and taking photos at 1080p, which is very decent on paper.
However, I found the results varied significantly. I’d liken it to an entry-level budget smartphone. It might boast a 4K camera, but if you shoot footage in less than ideal light, the quality takes a nosedive.
The footage Looki’s little camera took while I was walking around outside looked very good – I was honestly surprised with the quality.
Dave McQuilling / Foundry
But all of the indoor shots have varying degrees of graininess about them. I’m pretty sure the sensor is similar to what you see in HD webcams, because they all look a bit rough when I’m using them indoors as well. It’s better than I thought it would be, but far from perfect.
If you shoot footage in less than ideal light, the quality takes a nosedive
Another thing I need to mention is battery life. Apparently, if you let the AI record as it pleases in “Story Mode”, the battery will last 12 hours.
However, if you’re constantly recording short videos, you’ll likely burn through it in a morning (like I did). This is no surprise; recording video is pretty energy-intensive. It’ll drain your phone, or a pair of Ray-Ban Metas, just as quickly as it does Looki’s wearable.
The AI assistant gave me flashbacks
If you follow tech closely, you’ll remember the furore surrounding Humane’s AI Pin. A wearable device you could talk to, get directions from, and generally run your life with. The device was expensive, the subscription it required was expensive, and I can’t remember a device being received as negatively in recent times.
Looki also has an on-board AI. It can track bits of your day, comment on them, and answer questions if you tap and hold the touchpad on the front of the device. I asked it the time, the weather, and the melting point of cadmium. It answered everything adequately.
Dave McQuilling / Foundry
As with the L1’s other features, it isn’t perfect. Getting it to acknowledge a question in a noisy environment, like the CES show floor, was close to impossible. Still, it pretty much does what Humane claimed it would do (minus the little projector) for a fraction of the price, and it doesn’t force you to fork out $25 a month.
It’s all about the context
Looki’s flagship feature is its ability to tell the story of your day based on what it has seen. However, its grasp of context can be a touch flimsy sometimes.
For example, my first task of the day involved going to a semi-remote hotel and sitting through a demonstration on radar-based self-driving systems. It was 9 am, my hair was a mess, and I was wearing a pair of dark Ray-Bans while holding a cup of black coffee. So I made the same joke I make all the time, “I’m not hungover, this is how I normally look.”
The Looki L1 heard the joke and zeroed in on the word “hangover” as it chose “From Hangover to High Tech” as the title for that day’s summary. On a possibly related note, it highlighted a bottle of Perrier I was sipping a few hours later and reminded me to “Keep up the great habit of water to stay refreshed throughout your day!” Thanks, AI mum!
Dave McQuilling / Foundry
Turn your day into an AI-generated comic…apparently
One of Looki’s major features is the ability to turn your experiences into a little comic strip. Several styles are available, and they all look very good in the Instagram posts I’ve seen. The feature definitely exists, as Looki’s creators showed it to me several times when talking me through the device.
It highlighted a bottle of Perrier I was sipping a few hours later and reminded me to “Keep up the great habit of water to stay refreshed throughout your day!” Thanks, AI mum!
Unfortunately, for such a major feature, it’s a bit more complex than it looks. After tinkering with the app, the only way I could find to turn a comic involved clicking the “AI” button. Whereupon I discovered it would only use the photos/videos I had taken personally, and I hadn’t taken enough of them.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Now, I could be incorrect here – I may have overlooked something worryingly simple. But I would argue that, based on a day’s experience, this wasn’t immediately obvious to me, so other users will likely have a bit of a learning curve too.
For all its faults, the novelty is appealing
The Looki L1 has some pretty clear shortcomings. Video quality is mixed, the AI isn’t foolproof, and a fun-looking comic feature is confusing (to me, at least).
However, if you’re a fan of vlogging, you’ll probably really enjoy it. It gives a fun little POV of your day, and might give you a chance to actually enjoy the moment rather than having to photograph it 40 times first.
The quality doesn’t quite match most phones, but it does have a ‘set-and-forget’ kind of utility. If Looki continues developing its AI offering, the L1 could be a compelling purchase for some people.
The L1 retails for $199 and can be bought on the Looki website.
While the Looki L1 can’t be considered one of CES’ top products, plenty more were deserving of a best in show award.
