Humane’s AI Pin Shuts Down as HP Acquires the Startup for $116M
Courtesy by Humane
The once-hyped Humane AI Pin, a wearable gadget billed as a smartphone killer, is officially dead. HP announced yesterday that it’s acquiring key assets from Humane, including its AI-powered platform Cosmos, technical talent, and over 300 patents, in a deal valued at $116 million. The acquisition marks the end of the road for the AI Pin, which will cease functioning on February 28, 2025.
Humane, founded by former Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, launched the AI Pin in April 2024 with big promises. The screenless wearable, powered by AI and designed to sit on your chest, was meant to revolutionize how we interact with technology through voice and gestures. But from the start, it faced brutal reviews. Critics slammed its sluggish performance, inaccurate responses, and usability issues, with some calling it one of the biggest tech flops of the year. Reports of overheating and a faulty charging case that posed a fire risk only added to the disaster.
Despite early buzz and a $230 million funding haul, Humane struggled to find buyers. The company had hoped to sell 100,000 units in its first year but managed just 10,000 orders. By summer 2024, it was already seeking a buyer, initially aiming for a valuation between $750 million and $1 billion. HP, however, closed the deal at a fraction of that, signaling just how quickly the startup’s fortunes collapsed.
As part of the acquisition, HP isn’t taking over the AI Pin hardware business. Instead, it’s absorbing Humane’s software, intellectual property, and most of its team to bolster its own AI ambitions. The tech giant plans to integrate Humane’s CosmOS platform into its devices, from PCs and printers to connected conference rooms, through a new innovation lab called HP IQ. Chaudhri and Bongiorno will join HP to lead this effort, shifting their focus from wearable hardware to embedding AI across HP’s product ecosystem.
For existing AI Pin owners, the news is grim. Humane has told customers that their devices will stop connecting to servers after February 28, killing features like calling, messaging, and cloud access. The company is urging users to back up any data—photos, videos, notes—before the shutdown. Refunds are limited to those who bought the $699 device within the last 90 days, leaving many early adopters out of luck.
The deal has sparked mixed reactions. On X, tech watchers expressed little surprise, with posts noting the AI Pin’s troubled launch and Humane’s desperate pivot to survival mode. “This was inevitable,” one user wrote, while another lamented the loss of a bold idea that simply didn’t deliver. HP, meanwhile, sees the acquisition as a chance to catch up in the AI race, but it’s unclear how much of Humane’s technology will actually make it into their products.
For Intergalactic Deals readers, this saga serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of betting on unproven tech. The AI Pin’s demise isn’t just a failure of hardware—it’s a reminder that even the most ambitious ideas need solid execution to survive in a crowded market. As for HP, the real test will be whether it can turn Humane’s scraps into something truly innovative, or if this is just another corporate salvage job.