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Insta360 Go Ultra Gets AI Voice Assistant, Powered by Alibaba's Qwen in China

Insta360 is stepping up its AI game, and this time it's personal. The company is adding a voice assistant to its popular Go Ultra pocket camera, a move that could change how we interact with our gadgets. According to reports, the assistant—codenamed Kira—will first appear on the Go Ultra, and it's got a clever regional twist: it uses Google's Gemini in Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas, but switches to Alibaba's Qwen model in mainland China. The translated results can be announced right through the camera's speaker.

This isn't just a simple partnership. Insta360 is taking a 'self-developed plus integration' approach. The voice assistant is primarily built in-house, but it taps into the multimodal capabilities of Alibaba's Qwen for heavy lifting. The division of labor is clear: voiceprint recognition and intent understanding happen on the device itself, while complex tasks like answering questions, switching modes, and translating are handled in the cloud. All of this is managed under the internal project name Kira.

The Go Ultra, which hit the market last August with a price tag of 2,598 yuan, is about to get a major update on August 5. The official poster hints that 'voice assistant Kira' will be the star of the show. This update could be a game-changer for pocket cameras, making them smarter and more interactive than ever.

But what does this mean for users? Imagine being able to ask your camera to translate a sign, switch to a different shooting mode, or even answer a question—all hands-free. That's the promise of Kira. And with the regional AI integration, it's clear that Insta360 is thinking globally while acting locally.

As AI continues to weave into our daily lives, this move by Insta360 shows that even small devices can pack a big AI punch. The question is, will other camera makers follow suit? Only time will tell, but for now, Go Ultra owners have something to look forward to.

Key Points

  • Insta360's Go Ultra pocket camera will get an AI voice assistant named Kira.
  • The assistant uses Google Gemini in Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas, but Alibaba's Qwen in mainland China.
  • The update is scheduled for August 5, with the voice assistant as the main highlight.
  • The collaboration combines Insta360's self-developed tech with Alibaba's multimodal model capabilities.