Humane’s AI Pin: A $700 Failure That Left Customers Stranded

Humane has abruptly discontinued its Ai Pin, rendering all devices useless after February 28. Despite bold promises of replacing smartphones, the product was plagued with software bugs, hardware issues, and poor functionality, failing to meet expectations. Now, as the company sells off its assets to HP, customers are left with expensive, non-functional devices and no refunds or compensation.

Humane’s AI Pin: A $700 Failure That Left Customers Stranded

On Tuesday, Humane—the company known for its ambitious AI Pin—announced in an email to customers that it was “winding down the consumer Ai Pin as our business priorities have shifted.” In reality, the company isn’t just shifting priorities; it is abruptly ending the product and selling off parts of its business to HP. Effective February 28, existing Ai Pins will no longer function, as they will lose access to Humane’s servers, along with features such as phone calls, messaging, cloud connectivity, and AI queries. Essentially, the devices, which once sold for $700, will become useless.

This is not how a company should treat its customers, even in failure. Humane promised more than it could deliver, setting high expectations that it ultimately failed to meet.

Before the Ai Pin launched, the tech community was intrigued by Humane’s secrecy. Founded by former Apple employees, the startup amassed an impressive team and generated significant anticipation. Imran Chaudhri, one of the founders, introduced the Ai Pin in a TED Talk, and the company released promotional videos suggesting that the device could replace smartphones. Instead of a screen, the Ai Pin used a laser to project information onto the user’s hand, presenting a futuristic vision of wearable AI.

However, when Humane finally shipped the device, the excitement quickly faded. The Ai Pin was plagued with software bugs, an unreliable interface, and even hardware issues—one of which led to the company warning users about a charging case that posed a fire risk. But the real problem wasn’t just the flaws in the product; it was the enormous gap between what Humane promised and what it actually delivered.

The company pitched the Ai Pin as a revolutionary device that would change how people interact with technology, yet it was never realistic to expect users to abandon their smartphones for a wearable pin with limited functionality. Humane’s failure was inevitable because it was built on promises it could never fulfill.

The email Humane sent to customers fails to acknowledge this reality. It begins with a disingenuous message: “First and foremost, thank you for being an early adopter of Ai Pin. Your support, feedback, and enthusiasm have been instrumental in shaping this technology, and we are truly grateful to have had you on this journey with us.”

This sentiment rings hollow because there was no real journey. The product was discontinued before it could evolve. An “early adopter” implies that others would follow, but in this case, there is no future for the Ai Pin. Consumers expect challenges with new technology, but they don’t expect a complete shutdown, especially after spending money on a device and its monthly subscription.

Humane’s abrupt exit highlights the reality that its hardware and services were not viable. Investors have lost millions, employees who believed in the company’s mission have been left with nothing, and customers are left with an expensive gadget that no longer works. HP’s acquisition of Humane’s assets was essentially a fire sale, and notably, HP did not purchase the Ai Pin business—because there was no real business to buy.

This situation is more than just a financial loss. Customers paid $700 for a product that never lived up to expectations, and Humane is doing nothing to compensate them. The company’s failure isn’t just about flawed hardware or software; it’s a failure of leadership and accountability. Ethical business practices dictate that if a company takes money from customers for a product that doesn’t work as promised, it should either fix the product or offer refunds. Instead, Humane is walking away, leaving its customers with nothing.

Humane’s collapse may be the most spectacular tech failure of the last decade. Few devices have launched with such high expectations and then failed so completely. The company overpromised and underdelivered in every aspect, and its refusal to make things right for its customers is the most damning failure of all.