Humane has announced that HP has acquired most of its assets for $116 million. As part of this transition, the hardware startup will immediately halt sales of its AI Pin. Customers who have already purchased the device were informed that their units will stop functioning on February 28, 2025, at 3 p.m. EST, according to a blog post from the company.
After that date, AI Pins will no longer connect to Humane’s servers, rendering them unable to perform all functions requiring cloud-based access, such as calling, messaging, and AI-based queries. Humane has urged users to back up any important photos and data to an external device before the shutdown. Additionally, the company will dissolve its customer support team for the AI Pin on February 28. According to an FAQ, customers who purchased a device “within the 90-day return window from their original shipment date” are eligible for a refund. Still, those who bought one earlier are not.
This marks the end of Humane’s brief but high-profile journey in the hardware market. The company, founded by former Apple employees Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri, garnered significant attention when it introduced the AI Pin in April 2024 as a potential smartphone alternative. Backed by over $230 million in funding, the Bay Area startup initially made waves but soon faced significant challenges.
Despite initial excitement, the AI Pin failed to meet the expectations of many early adopters and reviewers. According to a report by The Verge, in August 2024, returns had begun surpassing sales, creating a significant setback for the company. Further compounding its troubles, Humane advised customers to discontinue using the AI Pin’s charging case due to fire risks. In October, the company reduced the device’s price from $699 to $499 in an attempt to boost sales.
According to a Bloomberg report, with this acquisition, HP will bring on board Humane’s engineers and product managers to form a new division called HP IQ, an AI-focused innovation lab dedicated to integrating intelligent features into HP’s products and services. Alongside the talent acquisition, HP will obtain certain technologies from Humane, including its CosmOS AI operating system. Recently, Humane suggested that CosmOS could be used in various devices, including car entertainment systems, smart speakers, TVs, and Android smartphones. This technology may now play a role in enhancing AI capabilities across HP’s personal computers and printers.
