Humane, the innovative startup that made waves with its AI-powered wearable, the Humane AI Pin, has officially announced the discontinuation of its flagship product. The company confirmed that it will stop selling the AI Pin immediately and will shut down services for all existing devices by February 28, 2025. In a major shift for the company, Humane is also selling most of its assets to HP for $116 million. However, the sale does not include the AI Pin hardware business, marking a significant turning point for the company.
As part of this acquisition, HP will gain access to Humane’s cutting-edge technology and engineering team. The key personnel behind the company’s ambitious AI Pin, including founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, will take leadership roles at HP. They will now spearhead HP IQ, a new division focused on integrating AI technology across a range of HP products.
End of the Line for Humane AI Pin Users
For existing users of the Humane AI Pin, the situation is grim. The company has confirmed that all online features of the AI Pin, including calling, messaging, and various AI-driven services, will cease to function by February 28, 2025. Humane has urged users to back up any important data before that deadline, as the device will soon only show basic offline features such as battery level.
Refunds and Customer Service
Unfortunately, customers who purchased the Humane AI Pin are unlikely to see much compensation for the device, which worked for less than a year. Humane has confirmed that it will not be offering refunds to most customers, although there is an exception for those who purchased the device on or after November 15, 2024. These buyers, still within the 90-day return window, are eligible to apply for a refund before February 27, 2025.
As the device nears its shutdown, Humane has recommended that users recycle their AI Pins via an e-waste program, given that the device will no longer be functional once its online services are terminated. After the deadline, users will only be able to see basic offline details, making the AI Pin effectively obsolete.
A Steep Decline in Valuation
The sale of Humane’s assets to HP for $116 million marks a dramatic decline from the company’s earlier valuation of $750 million to $1 billion in mid-2024. Despite raising over $230 million in funding and initially capturing attention for its innovative approach to wearable AI, Humane faced numerous hurdles that ultimately led to the demise of its flagship product.
Among the primary factors contributing to the AI Pin’s failure were poor customer reviews, a range of technical issues, and an alarming safety risk. In particular, a battery fire hazard in the charging case caused the company to issue a recall. The issue was traced to the battery supplier, which failed to meet necessary quality standards, further damaging the company’s reputation.
Trouble with Global Expansion Plans
Humane had lofty ambitions for its AI Pin, including plans to expand the device to international markets like India. At Mobile World Congress (MWC) last year, founder Imran Chaudhri had shared the company’s excitement about bringing the AI Pin to India, highlighting the potential of the device in a new market. However, following the global launch, the AI Pin encountered significant issues, leading to disappointing results both in terms of user satisfaction and sales performance.
Reports from users began to surface almost immediately, citing malfunctioning hardware and software problems. These issues were so severe that Humane had to send an email to customers advising them to stop using the AI Pin’s charging case, which was identified as a fire hazard. Ultimately, the company could not recover from these setbacks, and its once-promising product quickly fizzled out in the market.
The Future of AI Wearables and HP’s Role
With HP’s acquisition of Humane’s technology and engineering team, it seems that the dream of wearable AI technology is far from over. Instead of continuing with the AI Pin, HP appears poised to integrate Humane’s advanced AI capabilities into its broader product portfolio. This move aligns with HP’s larger strategy to enhance the functionality of its devices through AI, bringing new features and innovation to existing hardware.
In conclusion, the demise of the Humane AI Pin serves as a cautionary tale in the world of wearable tech. Despite significant investment and early hype, the AI Pin failed to live up to expectations. However, with HP’s acquisition, there’s still hope for some of Humane’s innovative ideas to live on in future products. For now, though, AI Pin users will need to look elsewhere for their wearable AI needs as their devices become obsolete by the end of February 2025.
