Humane Sold to HP for $116M, Ends AI Pin Sales

Humane announced today that it will sell the majority of its shares to HP for $116 million and will stop selling its AI Pin device. Once hailed as a groundbreaking personal assistant priced at $699 (around RMB 5,100), the AI Pin faced significant challenges after launch.

The AI Pin, which Humane launched with much fanfare at the TED conference and officially released on November 10, 2023, was marketed as a wearable device that could “replace the phone.” Positioned like a brooch, it featured a square design, CosmOS operating system, built-in microphone, camera, and projector. The device could even project a green interface onto the user’s palm, enabling gesture and voice interactions for tasks like taking photos, translation, and calorie recognition. Humane boasted partnerships with big names like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Slack, and Tidal to support its AI features. However, customers not only paid $699 but also an additional $24 monthly subscription fee.

Despite its innovative concept, the AI Pin faced criticism for issues like unreliability and lack of practicality. Popular tech reviewer MKBHD even called it “the worst product I’ve ever reviewed.” Humane eventually delivered the AI Pin to customers in April 2024, but backlash over its performance persisted.

According to Humane’s support documentation, the AI Pin will continue to operate until 4 a.m. Beijing time on March 1, 2025. After that, the device will no longer connect to Humane’s servers, disabling features like calls, messaging, AI queries, and cloud access. Users are encouraged to download any stored data, such as images and notes, before the service shuts down, as it will be permanently deleted afterward. While some offline features, like checking battery power, will remain functional, most cloud-dependent capabilities will cease to operate.

Humane has outlined its refund policy in its FAQs about the service shutdown. Refunds are available for devices purchased within 90 days of the original shipment date and must be requested by February 27, 2025. For consumers paying the subscription fee after February 28, Humane will process proportional refunds. Additionally, customers waiting for a replacement charging case will automatically receive refunds for that portion of their purchase price after February 28, 2025.

In a press release, Humane announced that HP will acquire its CosmOS operating system, onboard its technical team, and secure over 300 patents and patent applications. HP plans to integrate these technologies into its existing products, like PCs, printers, and connected devices for meeting rooms. According to HP’s announcement, Humane’s team, including founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, will now lead a division called “HP IQ.” This new AI innovation lab will focus on creating an intelligent ecosystem across HP’s products and services.

Humane, founded in 2018 by Chaudhri and Bongiorno, raised $230 million in funding from investors like Sam Altman, Tiger Global, SoftBank, Qualcomm, Microsoft, LG, and Salesforce. Despite its initial promise and partnerships with giants like Microsoft and OpenAI, the company struggled to find success with the AI Pin. Internal sales data revealed that returns often outpaced sales. By January 2024, the company laid off 4% of its workforce (10 employees), and by February 19, 2025, it announced its sale to HP and the discontinuation of the AI Pin.

While today’s news may seem shocking, it’s a reminder that startups must prioritize delivering reliable, well-crafted products before making bold claims.