The Ai Pin has officially reached its end. Key segments of Humane have been acquired by HP, and the functionality of the Ai Pin will terminate within a week. The reason for its demise? A misguided attempt by ex-Apple engineers to create a competitor for the iPhone, masquerading as artificial intelligence technology.
According to Bloomberg, HP has agreed to purchase assets from Humane for a total of $116 million. However, Humane’s only product, the Ai Pin, will not transition into the HP lineup. Instead, HP plans to integrate the acquired elements of Humane into its AI portfolio.
Despite what the product’s name might suggest, the Ai Pin lacked significant AI capabilities.
The device was essentially an Apple Watch-sized model of the iPhone, but without a screen—barring a low-resolution projector that used a cumbersome hand gesture system for navigation.
It could summarize text messages, but only those sent to a dedicated Ai Pin phone number, not your personal messages.
The core AI functions were based on early iterations of ChatGPT. While Apple hasn’t adequately advanced Siri to compete with ChatGPT, the iPhone still remains the platform where the most comprehensive features of ChatGPT are continuously developing.
Originally named Ai Pin, this product was in development during a widespread dialogue regarding smartphone dependency and excessive screen time in our daily lives. In response, Apple rolled out a feature named Screen Time that purportedly tracks device usage.
Subsequently, the pandemic entrenched remote work as the standard, leaving screens as our primary connection to each other.
Humane continued to market its device as a way to help individuals reconnect with their surroundings and reduce smartphone usage. The hardware was controlled through a website, recognizing that requiring a smartphone app contradicted the device’s intent.
Personally, I never experienced the Ai Pin firsthand. The idea is intriguing, but it functions more as an accessory to a smartphone—similar to AirPods or the Apple Watch—rather than a standalone product justifying hundreds of dollars plus a recurring monthly fee to be effective.
DMN’s Perspective
Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, Humane’s co-founders and former Apple executives, will join HP as part of the acquisition, assisting the company in incorporating AI into their products.
This may be a far cry from their previous ventures, but marketing a mini smartphone without a display or significant battery life as an artificial intelligence device seems to have been a gamble that did pay off.
Receiving $116 million feels quite generous for a company that sold a product costing over $500 plus a $24/month subscription, which would only function for a mere 10 months and two weeks after its launch.
Rest in peace, Humane—you’ve joined HP.
