Bengaluru techie turns grandpa's vintage rotary phone into Alexa; named 'Kiri', his DIY AI assistant goes viral

Bengaluru tech enthusiast has successfully transformed a vintage 1970s rotary phone into a fully functional AI assistant, challenging the aesthetic of modern "plastic box" smart speakers. By integrating a Raspberry Pi and a custom AI agent into his grandfather’s old hardware, the creator has developed a system capable of executing real-world digital tasks—ranging from ride-hailing to email summarization—through traditional handset interactions. The project, which costs just $25 to assemble, has sparked significant interest in the DIY community as a bridge between nostalgic analog design and cutting-edge automation.

‘Kiri’ Rotary AI Assistant

The creator explained that the motivation behind the project was a fatigue with modern industrial design, stating, "i was tired of talking to ugly plastic boxes. so i turned my grandfather's old rotary phone into an ai assistant". The device remains visually unchanged from its 1970s origin, sitting on a desk as a normal phone while hiding a Raspberry Pi and a "little ai agent living inside it". Users interact with it by picking up the handset and using the wake word "Hey Kiri" to issue commands.

How does his AI hardware work?

Despite its advanced capabilities, the build was remarkably cost-effective. The developer noted he "built the whole thing for $25 with a dummy phone, raspi and a bunch of hardware components". In a shared demonstration, the creator picks up the vintage handset and says, "hey kiri book an uber" and the assistant successfully processes the request. Beyond ride-sharing, the creator claims the device can "schedule a meeting, order maggi, turn off the lights, summarise emails and literally anything ".


Check his official post:

Why are people interested in this DIY project?

By maintaining the original hardware feel while adding an invisible "ai agent," the project has resonated with those looking for more personality in their tech gadgets. Reflecting on the experience, the creator remarked, "idk if anyone would actually want a DIY for this. its stupid fun having this vintage + ai on the desk".