Back in November 2023, we wrote about an "AI pin" made by a company called Humane that owners would wear like a little Star Trek badge. The device could, in theory at least, provide AI-powered information on various topics, translate languages on fly, take photos, play music, and even work as a phone if you signed up for T-Mobile's monthly subscription package. But there's bad news for anyone who shelled out the $699 (eventually reduced to $499) price tag for one of these things: At the end of February, they're going to stop working.
Humane (via Kotaku) has announced that sales of the AI pin have been halted, and worse, after 12 pm PT on February 28—just over a week from today—the units will no longer be able to connect to Humane's servers. This means, in short, that AI pin features "will no longer include calling, messaging, AI queries/responses, or cloud access."
Some functionality will remain available, but it doesn't sound like much: Humane said the AI pin "will still allow for offline features like battery level, etc." Frankly, if you're leading with "it'll tell you how much battery life you have left," I strongly suspect you don't have much else to offer.
So, how did it end up like this? Humane said it's "winding down the Ai pin as we are moving onto new endeavors," but given that the AI pin didn't actually go into release until April 2024—less than a year ago—I don't think anyone would call this a job well done and finished. The reality of the matter is probably more closely tied to the fact that the AI pin did not impress. A few reviews:
- The Verge: Humane AI Pin review: not even close
- Engadget: The Humane AI Pin is the solution to none of technology's problems
- Wired: Too bare-bones and not all that useful
- Washington Post: I’ve been living with a $699 AI Pin on my chest. You probably shouldn’t.
Making matters worse, the charging case included with the device was a literal fire risk, and before long, according to The Verge, returns were outpacing sales. By May 2024, Humane was reportedly looking for a buyer, and early this month it found one: HP, which snapped up the company for $116 million, a fraction of Humane's reported self-valuation of $750 million to $1 billion. In any event, HP apparently held the same feelings about the AI pin as everyone else, which is to say it didn't want it.
Anyone who purchased an AI pin within the past 90 days—specifically, if the device shipped on or after November 15, 2024—is eligible for a refund, as long as the refund request is submitted by February 27, the day before the devices go offline. If you purchased one prior to that, you're out of luck.
However, the planned replacements for the charge case at the root of the whole 'catching on fire' problem are not going to be shipped, so if you're waiting on one of those you'll receive a refund "for the portion of your original purchase price that was allocated to the charge case" at some point after February 28. Any pending orders for AI pins will be automatically cancelled and refunded in full.
AI pin users also have until February 28 to download any data on the devices: After that, it will all be deleted and gone, which is pretty much what Humane reckons you should do with the pins, too. "We encourage you to recycle your AI Pin through an e-waste recycling program," its FAQ concludes. "Many electronics retailers and local recycling centers accept wearable devices."
