Humane AI Pin becomes a $700 brick on February 28
The ambitious yet extremely flawed AI device will no longer work at the end of this month
😔 Humane has announced its AI Pin will no longer work at the end of the month
👎 Calling, messaging, AI queries and cloud access will all end
🧱 It makes the AI device a $700 brick
😡 Refunds are only available to those who purchased the AI Pin on or after November 15, 2024
The Humane AI Pin was one of two high-profile devices that promised to revolutionize the way we interact with the world using artificial intelligence. Led by former Apple employees Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, it launched to rather scathing reviews.
However, unlike the Rabbit R1, which also launched in a poor state but continues to receive updates today, anyone who paid $700 for the Humane AI Pin will have nothing but an expensive memento by the end of this month.
On February 28 at 12pm PT, the Humane AI Pin will no longer connect to Humane’s servers, which prevents functionality such as calling, messaging, AI queries/responses, or cloud access. Essentially, the device will be utterly useless aside from letting you check the battery level. Oh, boy!
Humane has also stopped taking new orders (if there were any) and won’t even be sending out replacement charging cases to those who were affected. You know, the ones that had the potential to catch on fire.
The move comes after HP purchased the company and its patents for $116 million, a fraction of Humane’s previously shared self-valuation of $750 million to $1 billion. Clearly there’s something in the wreckage worth buying from HP’s point of view.
While it isn’t unusual for a new product to fail, don’t expect to receive a refund. Humane is only refunding anyone who purchased the AI Pin within the last 90 days – specifically, if the device shipped on or after November 15, 2024. Eligible customers will also need to submit their request for a refund by February 27, which isn’t a lot of time.
If you purchased a Humane AI Pin before November 15, 2024, you’re fresh out of luck and $700 worse off. Don’t worry, though. In its FAQ, Humane has said its moving onto new endeavors and thanked consumers for their support throughout this journey.
Humane has encouraged everyone affected to recycle their AI Pins through an e-waste recycling program, or you can keep it in a draw somewhere until you rediscover it years later, $700 light.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.