HP Acquisition Strikes the Final Nail in the Humane AI Pin’s Coffin
Humane, we hardly knew ye. The post HP Acquisition Strikes the Final Nail in the Humane AI Pin’s Coffin appeared first on Phandroid.
The debut of the Humane AI pin on the consumer tech scene was one that was filled with obstacles, and despite big promises from Humane towards a smartphone-free future, the device never really took off. The months that followed would prove disastrous for the company, and it was reported later on that company founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno were looking to sell the company’s business to interested buyers.
READ: Multiple Refunds Paint a Bad Picture for the Humane AI Pin
With that said, HP – yes, that HP – recently announced that it’s entered into an agreement towards the acquisition of “key AI capabilities” from Humane, a deal which amounts to around $116 million. The deal will see HP acquiring Humane’s Cosmos AI platform, as well as its personnel and other intellectual property, along with patents and patent applications. An official statement from Chaudhri and Bongiorno reads:
We’re excited to join HP at such a pivotal moment in the industry and help shape the future of intelligent experience… HP’s scale, global reach, and operational excellence—combined with our design-led approach, integration technology, and engineering expertise—will redefine workforce productivity.
In terms of hardware, the AI Pin included features like a magnetic clip-on design, a gesture-based control system, and a mini projector which displayed the user interface. As for actual usability however, many noted that the laser projector was barely visible when outdoors, the software occasionally logged users out, and battery life was barely enough to last a day, in addition to overheating issues, all of which were unacceptable for a 700-dollar price tag.
As for the leftover AI Pins, Humane will shut down all online services and will issue customers refunds until February 27. The AI Pins will be essentially bricked afterwards, save for the battery monitoring feature which will remain running on-device.
The post HP Acquisition Strikes the Final Nail in the Humane AI Pin’s Coffin appeared first on Phandroid.
