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Raspberry Pi’s $70 AI computing bundle was the Raspberry Pi AI Kit, announced on 4 June 2024. It paired a Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ with a Hailo-8L AI accelerator for use with a Raspberry Pi 5, delivering a manufacturer-rated 13 tera-operations per second (TOPS) for on-device inference. The $70 figure was the launch price, not a current price: Raspberry Pi now says the original kit is no longer in production and directs new customers to the Raspberry Pi AI HAT+.
What the $70 Raspberry Pi AI Kit was
The AI Kit was an add-on for a Raspberry Pi 5, not a complete computer. Its bundle contained two main parts:
- Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ carrier board, preassembled for the accelerator module.
- Hailo-8L AI accelerator in the M.2 2242 form factor, using an M-key edge connector.
The Raspberry Pi 5 supplied the host CPU, memory, storage and operating system. Neither a Raspberry Pi 5 nor a camera was described as included in the $70 bundle.
What it was designed to do
Raspberry Pi positioned the kit primarily for local computer-vision inference. The accelerator could run neural networks for:
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- All-in-One AI Learning Lab Powered by Raspberry Pi & Multi-LLMs. Turn Raspberry Pi (5 / 4B / 3B+ / 3B / Zero 2W) into a complete AI learning lab with support for multi-LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Qwen, Doubao, and Ollama. Includes Pan-Tilt HAT,10-axis (10DOF) module, camera, and high-quality components. Learn AI through guided video lessons created with educator Paul McWhorter. (Raspberry Pi not included)
- Build Fun Multi-Modal AI Projects with Voice, Vision & Sensors. Combine sensors, breadboard circuits, Multi-LLMs, voice recognition, and camera vision to create engaging multi-modal AI projects. Learn STT and TTS through hands-on programming, turning abstract AI concepts into interactive projects you can see, hear, and control—perfect for AI beginners
- AI Vision Tracking with YOLO, OpenCV, MediaPipe & Pan-Tilt HAT. Create intelligent vision projects using OpenCV and MediaPipe to detect and track objects, colors, and human movements. The Pan-Tilt HAT allows your projects to actively follow targets, helping learners understand how AI vision and motion work together in real systems
- Fusion HAT+ Power System with Voice AI Interaction. The Fusion HAT+ provides power, safe shutdown, and simplified hardware control via a unified Python library. With the Fusion HAT+ featuring a built-in speaker and microphone, easily build AI voice interaction projects by combining Multi-LLMs with sensors and electronic components
- Step-by-Step Learning with Video Lessons & Technical Support. Includes a structured, project-based curriculum with clear documentation, sample code, and video tutorials created with Paul McWhorter. Backed by responsive technical support and an active community, this kit helps beginners confidently progress from Python basics to AI and interactive projects
- Object detection
- Semantic segmentation
- Instance segmentation
- Pose estimation
- Facial landmarking
Running these models on the Hailo module leaves the Raspberry Pi 5 CPU available for application logic, video handling and other tasks. Raspberry Pi reported a specification of 13 TOPS; that is a manufacturer-stated inference figure, not an independent benchmark or a guarantee for every model.
Hardware and connection details
The Hailo module communicates with the Pi 5 through the M.2 HAT+ and the board’s PCIe interface. Raspberry Pi’s product information describes a single-lane PCIe 3.0 link at 8 Gbps for the kit, while the current implementation details identify the Pi 5 connection as its PCIe 2.0 interface. The practical result is an accelerator attached to the Pi 5 rather than a standalone AI computer.
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- Includes Raspberry Pi 5 with 2.4Ghz 64-bit quad-core CPU (8GB RAM)
- Includes 128GB Micro SD Card pre-loaded with 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS, USB MicroSD Card Reader
- CanaKit Turbine Black Case for the Raspberry Pi 5
- CanaKit Low Noise Bearing System Fan
- Mega Heat Sink - Black Anodized
The kit supported compatible first-party and third-party cameras. Camera input was optional, and Raspberry Pi also described inference on prerecorded video, so a live camera was not required for every project.
Software support described at launch
Raspberry Pi’s June 2024 announcement described support through its camera and multimedia software stack, including:
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- Raspberry Pi AI Robot: powered by Raspberry Pi (5/4B/3B+/3B/Zero 2W), features 12 servos and sensors for vision, hearing, and touch. Integrated with ChatGPT-4o, it responds to complex queries. With app control and FPV, users can manage and see its view in real-time. It supports Python programming
- Realistic Movements: 12 powerful servos enable 32 actions, including walking, sitting, standing, shaking its head, wagging its tail, and performing playful tricks, closely mimicking a real and providing an engaging experience
- Rich Sensor Suite for Interactive Experiences: features ultrasonic, touch, gyroscope, sound, camera, speaker and microphone. These provide it with advanced hearing, vision, and touch, enabling it to see, detect obstacles, respond to touch, and recognize sounds, making interactions highly engaging
- Engaging Interactions with ChatGPT-4o: with ChatGPT-4o enables voice interactions and visual recognition, making it smarter and more responsive. Users can have natural conversations, solve math problems via the camera, and interpret gestures, creating diverse and fun interactions
- Comprehensive Learning Resources and Support: offers detailed online documentation, video tutorials, prompt technical support, and an active forum community, ensuring beginners can easily complete all projects and enjoy a great experience
- Raspberry Pi camera applications and Hailo post-processing libraries.
- Picamera2 integration planned for the software ecosystem.
- GStreamer pipelines.
- Native Python and C/C++ applications.
- Pre-trained models available through Hailo’s model zoo.
On a current Raspberry Pi OS image, Raspberry Pi says the module is detected automatically, and built-in rpicam-apps applications support compatible post-processing tasks. Exact packages, examples and model support can change, so setup instructions should be taken from the current Raspberry Pi and Hailo documentation rather than copied from the 2024 announcement.
Launch price versus availability now
Raspberry Pi announced the AI Kit at $70 in June 2024 and made it available through its Approved Reseller network. That was a dated launch price; it does not establish today’s reseller price or stock.
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- AI-Powered Raspberry Pi Smart Car — PiCar-X: PiCar-X brings AI learning to life — powered by Openclaw and multi-LLMs including ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Qwen, Doubao, Ollama (Local LLMs), and compatible with many more AI platforms. Featuring OpenCV, MediaPipe, TTS & STT, PiCar-X enables true AI vision and voice interaction — it can see, listen, talk, drive and think like an intelligent companion. Ideal for students (10+), educators, and engineers, PiCar-X is the perfect gateway to explore AI, robotics, and machine learning on Raspberry Pi 5/4/3B+/3B/Zero 2W (Raspberry Pi not included)
- Engaging Interactions with Multi-LLMs: PiCar-X, powered by Openclaw and multi-LLMs — including ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Qwen, Doubao, and Ollama (Local LLMs) — and compatible with many other AI platforms, supports voice interaction and visual recognition to make the robot smarter and more responsive. Users can enjoy natural AI conversations, solve math problems through the camera, and interpret gestures, unlocking a world of diverse and fun AI-driven interactions
- Feature-rich and Adaptable: PiCar-X offers engaging applications like line following and obstacle avoidance, supports TTS (Text-to-Speech) and STT (Speech-to-Text) for interactive voice control, and includes a camera for video and vision recognition. It also comes with various sensors, while its customizable design enables a wide range of creative AI and robotics projects
- Versatile Programming Options: Catering to users of all skill levels, PiCar-X supports both Python and Scratch programming languages, allowing for flexible learning and skill development
- Simplified Assembly & Support: PiCar-X is perfect for beginners, yet learning with experienced users is recommended for best results. It comes with easy assembly instructions and forum support for smooth project completion
As of Raspberry Pi’s product-page update accessed 30 September 2026, the company states: “The Raspberry Pi AI Kit is no longer in production. New customers should instead purchase the Raspberry Pi AI HAT+.” The AI HAT+ is the official current alternative named by Raspberry Pi, but it should not be treated as the identical bundle, and its current price is not established here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Original AI Kit and current path compared
| Option | Production status | Host requirement | Accelerator information | Typical focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi AI Kit | No longer in production, according to Raspberry Pi’s product page | Raspberry Pi 5 | Hailo-8L on an M.2 2242 module; Raspberry Pi stated 13 TOPS | On-device computer vision |
| Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ | Current official alternative identified by Raspberry Pi | Check the current product documentation for supported hosts | Current specifications and price not stated here | Use Raspberry Pi’s current documentation for supported workloads |
What you would have needed for an original-kit project
- Raspberry Pi 5: The AI Kit was an add-on and required the Pi 5 as its host.
- AI Kit hardware: The M.2 HAT+ and Hailo-8L module were the bundled accelerator hardware.
- Current Raspberry Pi OS: Raspberry Pi says an up-to-date image automatically detects the module.
- Camera or video source: A compatible first-party or third-party camera was optional; prerecorded video was also supported.
- Application software and models: Projects used the camera applications, GStreamer, Python or C/C++, together with compatible Hailo models and post-processing.
Does the kit run LLMs or transcribe audio?
Those were questions raised by readers in the original announcement, but the announcement’s documented emphasis was computer vision. The available product information here does not establish model-specific large-language-model support, Ollama compatibility, or an audio-transcription benchmark. Anyone considering those workloads should verify support for the exact model, runtime and AI HAT+ or accelerator configuration in current official documentation rather than infer it from the 13-TOPS figure.
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Who should consider the current alternative
If you already own an original AI Kit, it remains relevant for Raspberry Pi 5 vision projects that match its supported software and models. If you are buying now, Raspberry Pi’s own guidance is to choose the AI HAT+. Plan separately for a Raspberry Pi 5 when required by the chosen hardware, and treat a camera as an optional project component rather than part of the accelerator package.
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