American startup Humane has officially announced that it will cease sales and services of its “Ai Pin” wearable device powered by OpenAI’s smart system on February 18, 2025, and will sell the related business to HP. Through this transaction, Humane aims to hand over its technological assets to HP for further development.
Humane’s Ai Pin is grabbing attention for its innovative design, showcasing a future of smart devices that does away with traditional screens. This device projects images onto your palm, aiming to replace existing smartphones. However, since its launch in April 2024, the Ai Pin has faced a flood of negative reviews due to insufficient battery life and overheating issues. As consumer dissatisfaction swiftly escalates, Humane is already exploring options for acquisition or sale of its business just a month in.
Humane originally expected to sell for $1 billion (approximately HKD 7.8 billion), but in the upcoming press release, it was ultimately decided to sell the majority of its shares to HP for $116 million (about HKD 900 million). According to Humane, the purchased Ai Pin will continue to operate normally until February 28, 2025. However, after that date, the Ai Pin will lose connection with Humane’s servers, meaning that calls, messaging, AI functions, and cloud services will no longer be available.
Humane reminds all users still using the Ai Pin to connect their devices to Wi-Fi before February 28 to sync and download photos, videos, and notes stored on the device. After March, the device will no longer receive services from Humane and related replacement or support services will not be provided. Humane also encourages users to participate in its “e-waste recycling program” to responsibly dispose of these devices.
Humane emphasizes that the transaction for the Ai Pin business will be completed by the end of February. The CosmOS operating system developed by Humane will also be handed over to HP as part of this deal. Furthermore, Humane’s technology team will collaborate with HP to establish a new division, HP IQ, which will focus on integrating AI technology into HP’s personal computers, printers, and conference room products.
