Humane, an artificial intelligence hardware startup, gave its users only ten (10!) days’ notice that their PINs would be disabled. In a message to its customers, the company stated that AI Pins “will continue to function as normal” until 12 p.m. on February 28. On this day, users will lose access to virtually all functions of their device, including but not limited to calls, messaging, AI queries, and access to cloud services. The FAQ states that you will still be able to check the battery level.
Humane urges its users to download all stored data before February 28, as it plans to permanently delete “all remaining customer data” at the same time as it shuts down its servers.
The company says it will refund customers who are still within the 90-day refund period, provided they apply by February 27. The company also notes that users who choose to wait for a replacement of the combined fireproof version of the device and the Charge Case will now be refunded “a portion of the original price that was allocated to the Charge Case.” In the original recall notice, this amount was $149 if ordered separately, or $129 if ordered as part of the “Complete System” bundle.
Today’s discontinuation announcement was triggered by the acquisition of Humane by HP, which is buying the company’s intellectual property for $116 million but apparently has no interest in its current hardware business. It is known that at the time of its launch, AI Pin was criticized by a wide range of observers, including our own Cherlynn Lowe, who called it “a solution to none of the technology problems.”
HP says that this acquisition will bring together Humane’s “engineers, architects, and innovators” into a new team called HP IQ, which it describes as “an artificial intelligence innovation lab focused on building an intelligent ecosystem across HP products and services for the future.” We wish you success!
Last June, the New York Times reported that Humane was looking for a $1 billion buyout after receiving only 10,000 orders and named HP as an interested party. Seven more months of reality apparently convinced Humane’s founders to settle for a much smaller sum.
