Humane Inc. Explained

Humane Inc.
Type:Private
Hq Location:San Francisco, California, US
Products:Ai Pin
Num Employees:200

Humane Inc. (stylized as hu.ma.ne[1]) is an American consumer electronics company founded in 2018 by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno.[2] [3] The company designed and developed the Ai Pin, which started shipping in April 2024 but received poor reviews.[4]

History

Humane was founded by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno[5] in 2018; the couple previously worked at Apple Inc. The startup emerged from stealth mode in 2021.[6] [7]

By November 2023, the company had raised $230 million,[8] with notable investors such as Marc Benioff, Sam Altman, Tiger Global, SoftBank, Qualcomm, Microsoft, LG, Volvo, and Salesforce. Microsoft and OpenAI also announced partnerships with Humane.[9]

In January 2024, the company laid off 4% of its staff (10 employees).[10]

On May22, 2024, Bloomberg reported news that Humane was seeking a buyer for its business, initially considering offers in the $750 million to $1billion range.[11] The New York Times reported that Humane had been in talks with HP.

Ai Pin

The Ai Pin is a wearable device, meant to be attached to the user's shirt at chest level. It is a voice assistant and cellular phone, equipped with a camera, and a limited monochrome "screen" that's projected onto the user's hand on demand. The user mostly interacts with the device through a small touchpad, and also hand gestures when the projection screen is active.[12]

Chaudhri revealed the device and demonstrated its features during a TED Talk in May 2023,[13] [14] and it was later showcased at Paris Fashion Week in September.[15] Humane announced the device's name in July 2023.[16] [17] It was formally announced on November9, 2023, and sales started one week later at a price of $699.[18] The Ai Pin was featured by Time in its Best 200 Inventions of 2023, which was published before the product was released and without the magazine being provided a review unit for testing.[19] Times co-chairs, Marc and Lynne Benioff, are investors in Humane.

The device began shipping in April 2024. Despite concerns raised by employees, Humane never hired a head of marketing. The company had hoped for 100,000 sales by the end of the year, but until August only shipped 10,000 units.[20]

Reception

The Ai Pin has received generally negative reviews, praising its product design but criticizing the limited battery life and how easily the device overheats in just a few minutes.[21] [22] The New York Times reported that due to overheating problems, Humane executives would use ice packs to chill the pin before previewing it to investors or partners.[18]

The Verge wrote, "After many days of testing, the one and only thing I can truly rely on the Ai Pin to do is tell me the time." The review from Inverse stated that it "is slow to answer even basic questions." Fast Company noted that "Almost everything about the pin was a UX disaster for reviewers."[23]

In response to the criticism, lead Ai Pin engineer Ken Kocienda said that he used the product "all the time" but did find it "frustrating sometimes" in the same way as a laptop or smartphone.[24]

See also

References

  1. Web site: Gallagher . William . 2023-03-08 . After 5 years of nothing, Humane 'startup' is now shifting to AI . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109222549/https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/03/08/after-5-years-of-nothing-humane-startup-is-now-shifting-to-ai . November 9, 2023 . 2023-11-04 . AppleInsider . en.
  2. News: Griffith . Erin . Mickle . Tripp . Silicon Valley's Big, Bold Sci-Fi Bet on the Device That Comes After the Smartphone - Humane, a company started by two former Apple employees, says its new artificial intelligence pin can stop all the scrolling. Can it live up to the hype? . November 9, 2023 . . live . https://archive.today/20231110082350/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/09/technology/silicon-valleys-big-bold-sci-fi-bet-on-the-device-that-comes-after-the-smartphone.html . November 10, 2023 . November 10, 2023 .
  3. Web site: Porter . Jon . 2023-03-09 . Is buzzy startup Humane's big idea a wearable camera? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240401171556/https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/9/23631911/humane-apple-startup-wearable-camera-artificial-intelligence-series-c-funding-round . April 1, 2024 . 2023-11-04 . The Verge . en.
  4. Web site: Heater . Brian . 2024-02-23 . Humane pushes Ai Pin ship date to mid-April . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240425054825/https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/23/humane-pushes-ai-pin-ship-date-to-mid-april/ . April 25, 2024 . 2024-04-13 . TechCrunch . en-US.
  5. Web site: Brown . Damon . 2019-12-20 . How to Know It's Time to Leave Your Prominent Job . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231104182517/https://www.inc.com/damon-brown/how-to-know-its-time-to-leave-your-prominent-job.html . November 4, 2023 . Inc. Magazine.
  6. Web site: Lunden . Ingrid . 2021-09-01 . Humane, a stealthy hardware and software startup co-founded by an ex-Apple designer and engineer, raises $100M . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240322222008/https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/01/humane-a-stealthy-hardware-and-software-startup-co-founded-by-an-ex-apple-designer-and-engineer-raises-100m/ . March 22, 2024 . 2023-11-04 . TechCrunch . en-US.
  7. Web site: This Week in AI: Open AI Disables Internet Browsing, Humane's first "Ai Pin" reveal, Japan's Education Ministry Releases AI Guidelines, and Wimbledon Picks up AI . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240418005511/https://www.niural.com/blog/open-ai-disables-internet-browsing-humanes-first-ai-pin-reveal-japans-education-ministry-releases-ai-guidelines-and-wimbledon-picks-up-ai . April 18, 2024 . 2023-11-04 . niural.
  8. Dave . Paresh . November 9, 2023 . Humane's Ai Pin is a $700 Smartphone Alternative You Wear All Day . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501140321/https://www.wired.com/story/humane-ai-pin-700-dollar-smartphone-alternative-wearable/ . May 1, 2024 . 10 November 2023 . Wired.
  9. News: Tilley . Aaron . 2023-03-08 . WSJ News Exclusive Startup by Ex-Apple Executives Raises $100 Million, Partners With OpenAI, Microsoft . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421080955/https://www.wsj.com/articles/startup-by-ex-apple-executives-raises-100-million-partners-with-openai-microsoft-4eae0570 . April 21, 2024 . 2023-11-04 . Wall Street Journal . en-US . 0099-9660.
  10. Web site: Dent . Steve . 2024-01-10 . Humane lays off staff before its 'Ai Pin' begins shipping . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240204101259/https://www.engadget.com/humane-lays-off-staff-before-its-ai-pin-begins-shipping-103548514.html . February 4, 2024 . 2024-04-13 . Engadget . en-US.
  11. Web site: 2024-05-22 . Wearable AI Startup Humane Explores Potential Sale, Sources Say . 2024-05-23 . Bloomberg.
  12. Web site: Amadeo . Ron . 2023-11-10 . The Humane AI Pin is a bizarre cross between Google Glass and a pager . 2024-08-08 . Ars Technica . en-us.
  13. Web site: Kastrenakes . Jacob . 2023-05-09 . Humane's new wearable AI demo is wild to watch — and we have lots of questions . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240417175329/https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/9/23716996/humane-wearable-ai-tech-demo-ted-video . April 17, 2024 . 2023-11-04 . The Verge . en.
  14. Web site: Fried . Ina . 2023-04-20 . Humane previews AI-powered wearable . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231205154755/https://www.axios.com/2023/04/21/humane-ai-powered-wearable . December 5, 2023 . Axios.
  15. News: Davis . Wes . 30 September 2023 . The Humane Ai Pin makes its debut on the runway at Paris Fashion Week . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240417172318/https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/30/23897065/humane-ai-pin-coperni-paris-fashion-week . April 17, 2024 . 10 November 2023 . The Verge . en.
  16. Web site: Orr . Andrew . 2023-07-03 . Humane announces its wearable phone will be named 'Humane AI Pin' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231104182521/https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/07/03/humane-announces-its-wearable-communicator-will-be-named-humane-ai-pin . November 4, 2023 . 2023-11-04 . AppleInsider . en.
  17. Web site: Heater . Brian . 2023-09-30 . Humane's 'Ai Pin' debuts on the Paris runway . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240425054828/https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/30/humanes-ai-pin-debuts-on-the-paris-runway/ . April 25, 2024 . 2023-11-04 . TechCrunch . en-US.
  18. News: Mickle . Tripp . Griffith . Erin . ‘This Is Going to Be Painful’: How a Bold A.I. Device Flopped . . June 6, 2024.
  19. Dixit . Pranav . 2023-10-24 . Humane Ai Pin: The 200 Best Inventions of 2023 . 2023-11-04 . Time . Rethinking the Smartphone . en.
  20. Web site: 2024-08-07 . People are returning Humane AI Pins faster than the company can sell them . 2024-08-08 . Engadget . en-US.
  21. Web site: Pierce . David . 2024-04-11 . Photography by Amelia Holowaty Krales . Humane AI Pin review: not even close . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240503161235/https://www.theverge.com/24126502/humane-ai-pin-review . May 3, 2024 . 2024-04-13 . The Verge . en.
  22. Web site: Wong . Raymond . 2024-04-11 . The Agony and Ecstasy of Reviewing Humane's Ai Pin . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240424092501/https://www.inverse.com/tech/humane-ai-pin-in-depth-review . April 24, 2024 . 2024-04-13 . Inverse . en.
  23. Web site: Snelling . Grace . April 12, 2024 . Humane's Ai Pin was never going to be great . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420231457/https://www.fastcompany.com/91092156/humanes-ai-pin-was-never-going-to-be-great . April 20, 2024 . April 13, 2024 . Fast Company.
  24. Web site: Mann . Jyoti . Humane's head engineer defends its Ai Pin against scathing reviews, but admits it's 'frustrating sometimes' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240422190926/https://www.businessinsider.com/humane-ai-pin-designer-wearable-tech-defends-device-2024-4 . April 22, 2024 . 2024-04-13 . Business Insider . en-US.

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