Humane AI Pin's Acquisition by HP Highlights Challenges in Wearable AI Market

San Francisco, CA – The wearable artificial intelligence market is experiencing significant shifts, with the Humane AI Pin, a device once touted as a smartphone alternative, being acquired by HP for $116 million. This development follows widespread critical reviews and disappointing sales for the AI Pin, which struggled to gain traction since its launch.

The Humane AI Pin, developed by former Apple executives Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, was designed to reimagine human-technology interaction by offering AI-powered assistance without a screen, projecting information onto the user's hand. However, the device, priced at $699 with a $24 monthly subscription, faced severe criticism for issues including overheating, poor battery life, slow response times, and frequent inaccuracies. Tech reviewers, including Marques Brownlee, famously called it "the worst product I've ever reviewed."

In contrast, other AI wearables are finding a more positive reception by focusing on specific use cases. Linus Ekenstam, a prominent tech commentator, recently shared his six-month experience with the Limitless AI pendant, stating it "has changed my life." Ekenstam highlighted its ability to provide "memory superpowers," enhance emotional intelligence, and improve focus in social and family settings, attributing these benefits to features that capture and organize conversations. He drew a parallel to the initial skepticism surrounding AirPods, suggesting that early criticism of new form factors can be misleading.

The acquisition by HP means Humane's AI platform, Cosmos, its technical staff, and intellectual property will integrate into HP's new innovation lab, HP IQ. This move is seen as HP's strategic step to embed AI capabilities across its product lines, from PCs to smart printers. Humane had aimed for 100,000 unit sales but only achieved approximately 10,000, leading to a price cut from $699 to $499 before the acquisition. Existing AI Pin devices are slated to cease functioning after February 28, with all stored data to be deleted.

Ekenstam's tweet also touched upon the competitive landscape, noting that other devices like the Rabbit R1 and a potential future offering from OpenAI face similar challenges in clear positioning and market acceptance. He specifically criticized the Humane AI Pin's "friend" narrative, suggesting it triggered a "defensive reaction" from consumers who prefer human connections. The contrasting market receptions underscore the difficulty in establishing new product categories in the rapidly evolving AI hardware space.