It’s not a good day for early adopters of Humane’s AI Pin. Users of the wearable have taken to social media to express extreme disappointment with the startup’s announcement that the device will soon lose most of its functionality.
The decision to drop support comes after HP acquired the beleaguered startup in a $116 million deal, which didn’t entail its flagship AI Pin. As a result of that, the wearable will no longer offer calling, messaging, cloud access or any of its touted AI features, starting from February 28.
The news has understandably been received very poorly by early adopters, with many left feeling “duped” and “screwed over.”
Although the startup will offer refunds to users who purchased the device after November 15, 2024, early adopters are left empty-handed. The company has also paused new orders, though obviously nobody is rushing to buy its AI Pin at the moment.
Humane Hasn’t Made It Up To AI Pin Users
Adding insult to injury, Humane says users will still be able to benefit from “offline features like battery level” after February 28, but core features will be inaccessible, making the device virtually obsolete.
The wearable, which retailed at $699 with an additional monthly subscription of $24, only began shipping last April. It scored poorly among reviewers, with YouTuber Marques Brownlee famously calling it “the worst product” he’d ever reviewed.
Even upon launch, early adopters voiced skepticism of the device, finding little to no use for it and feeling “swindled.” Today’s announcement is sure to further intensify that feeling.
(I’ve reached out to Humane for comment and will update this piece accordingly if I hear back.)
Users Search For Alternative Uses For Humane’s AI Pin
Desperate users are exploring ways to find new uses for the device, with some discussing the possibility of jailbreaking the AI Pin to install alternative operating systems, though that doesn’t seem to be an option according to user reports.
In the meantime, opportunist posters are extending offers to purchase used AI Pins at significantly reduced rates.
That’s a rough position to be in for AI Pin users: sell for pennies on the dollar or be stuck with a bad apple. Humane, which once sought to sell its business for up to $1 billion, ultimately opted for the former.
