AI Pin Terminates Service
The startup Humane, which launched the wearable device AI Pin, has announced the sale of the majority of its shares to PC giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $116 million. As a result, AI Pin will no longer support features such as voice calls, messaging, and AI queries.
AI Pin was once regarded as the most revolutionary product after the iPhone; however, following its launch in 2024, it faced a series of negative reviews, ultimately leading Humane to the fate of acquisition.
Image / Humane X
HP will acquire Humane’s employees, software platform, and over 300 patented technologies, excluding hardware-related business. Humane founders, former Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and engineer Bethany Bongiorno, will also join HP, with the acquisition process expected to be completed by the end of February.
Humane Founders Join HP to Form New Team Integrating AI and Devices
According to Bloomberg, after joining HP, Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno will establish a new team called “HP IQ,” positioned as HP’s new AI innovation lab, which will integrate AI technology with HP’s PCs, printers, and other products to create a new AI ecosystem.
In recent months, Humane has shifted its focus from AI Pin hardware to the software platform CosmOS, originally designed for AI Pin. The operating system CosmOS has since transformed into a software platform that other manufacturers can also implement in their products, and HP may enhance the AI capabilities of its various products based on this technological foundation.
HP emphasizes that executing certain generative AI functions on the device, as opposed to relying entirely on cloud computing, is more cost-effective, secure, and faster. They assert that AI will be ubiquitous and integrated into all devices to effectively assist users in enhancing productivity.
Return Rates Once Surpassed Sales, AI Pin to Terminate Service from February 28
Originally, the AI Pin was positioned as a solution to replace smartphones, boasting a screenless design that allowed for voice calls, messaging, and AI Q&A through voice and gestures, with a projected keyboard usable in the palm of one’s hand. It attracted investments from OpenAI and Microsoft, leading to its perception as a revolutionary personal device before its market entry.
Image / Humane Official Website
In April 2024, AI Pin was officially launched at a price of $699 (approximately NT$22,000) with a subscription fee of $24 per month. However, it quickly garnered a substantial amount of negative feedback due to poor experiences with projection and gesture sensing. Humane even requested users to stop using the original charger to avoid battery fire incidents.
According to The Verge, by August 2024, the daily return rate of AI Pin had even surpassed the sales rate, prompting Humane to reduce the price to $200 (approximately NT$6,550) in October. Regarding the functionalities of AI Pin, The Verge even stated it was “the worst product ever reviewed.”
Humane’s website indicates that some offline features of AI Pin, such as battery level display, will still be usable in the future; however, all features reliant on cloud connectivity will cease to function.
Starting February 28, AI Pin will no longer connect to Humane’s servers and will stop supporting calls, messaging, and any cloud access-related services. The cloud platform for data storage, Center, will also be shut down. Humane advises users to sync and download any stored photos, videos, and notes from the device via Wi-Fi before this date; otherwise, the data will be permanently deleted.
Further Reading: What is AI Pin? Will it Disrupt the iPhone? Why Have Big Names Like OpenAI and Microsoft Invested?
Editor: Li Xiantai
This article is a collaborative republishing from: Digital Era