TLDR:
– Humane’s Ai Pin launch has been disastrous, with returns exceeding sales
– The company spent over $200 million on the product but has only generated $9 million in revenue
In a recent report from The Verge, it was revealed that Humane’s Ai Pin returns have been outpacing sales between May and August. The device, which was intended to free us from smartphones, has only sold around 10,000 units, far below the company’s goal of shipping 100,000 devices by April 2025. Reviews of the device have been overwhelmingly negative, with some calling it the “worst product I’ve ever reviewed.” The situation has become so dire that there are rumors of HP being in talks to acquire Humane.
Despite offering full refunds to customers outside of the return window, Humane has seen a loss of engineering talent and executed a 4% layoff amid its sales and revenue challenges. The company is still “committed to unlocking a new era of ambient and contextual computing,” but the future of the Ai Pin remains uncertain.