The Ai Pin is officially defunct. Portions of Humane have been sold to HP, and the Ai Pin will stop functioning in just a week. What led to this demise? An antiquated and poorly executed challenge to the iPhone, created by ex-Apple engineers, which Humane tried to present as AI-driven hardware.
According to Bloomberg, HP has struck a deal to purchase assets from Humane for $116 million. However, Humane’s flagship product, the Ai Pin, will not be integrated into HP’s offerings. Instead, HP plans to enhance its AI portfolio with the assets acquired from Humane.
Despite the name, the Ai Pin featured only minimal AI capabilities.
The device was essentially a compact version of the iPhone, similar in size to an Apple Watch but lacking a screen, save for a rudimentary projector and a cumbersome gesture-based control system.
It could summarize your text messages, but only those sent to your unique Ai Pin phone number, not your personal messages.
The supposed AI features relied heavily on early iterations of ChatGPT. While Apple has yet to enhance Siri sufficiently to make it competitive with ChatGPT, the iPhone remains a platform where the best ChatGPT functionalities are found, continuously evolving.
Initially, the Ai Pin was developed amid a broader discussion about smartphone addiction and excessive screen time in our lives. In response, Apple even introduced a feature named Screen Time, designed to track device usage.
However, during the pandemic, remote work became standard, and screens became our primary means of connection.
Humane continued to market its product as a remedy for reducing screen dependency and encouraging users to engage more with the real world. To align with this goal, the hardware was configured through a web interface, as Humane recognized that relying on a smartphone app contradicted the device’s fundamental purpose.
Personally, I never experienced the Ai Pin firsthand. While the concept is intriguing, it functions more like a smartphone accessory that enhances the experience—similar to AirPods or the Apple Watch—rather than a standalone device worth hundreds, combined with a monthly subscription for basic operations.
DMN’s Perspective
Humane’s co-founders, former high-ranking Apple executives Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, will join HP as part of this deal, assisting the PC giant in integrating AI technology into its offerings.
This shift is far less glamorous compared to what they previously promoted, but marketing a tiny smartphone lacking a display and adequate battery life as an AI product appears to be a gamble that ultimately bore fruit.
$116 million seems quite generous for a company that sold hardware priced at $500 and above with a $24-per-month subscription, ceasing to work just over ten months after its launch.
Rest in Peace, Humane, in the realm of HP.
