Humane
Wearable AI assistant company. AI Pin launched Nov 2023 to massive hype then collapsed in reviews. HP acquired remnants Feb 2025 for $116M.
Acquired Humane
Acquired · February 2025
Humane was the wearable AI assistant company founded in 2018 by ex-Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno. The AI Pin launched in November 2023 to massive hype at $699 plus a $24/month subscription, but reviews panned it as slow and unreliable, with battery and heat issues. By 2024 returns exceeded new sales. HP acquired the IP and team for $116M in February 2025 — far below the $230M+ raised. The AI Pin was discontinued and customer servers shut down. Humane became the canonical example of AI hardware that shipped before the tech was ready.
Acquired by HP.
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Overview
Humane: Wearable AI Assistant (Deceased)
Humane was Wearable AI assistant company founded 2018 by ex-Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno. Humane sold to HP in February 2025 for $116 million — far below the $230M+ raised and the $700M+ peak valuation. The AI Pin product was discontinued and existing customer servers shut down; HP folded the team and IP into its enterprise AI hardware roadmap. The product became the canonical example of AI hardware shipping before the underlying technology was ready, alongside Rabbit R1 and other 2023-2024 'AI gadget' attempts.
Key Features
- Wearable AI assistant company founded 2018 by ex-Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno
- AI Pin wearable launched November 2023 at $699 + $24/month subscription
- Reviews universally panned the product for being slow, unreliable, with battery and heat issues
- Customer support buybacks and recall events through 2024
- HP acquired remaining IP and team for $116 million in February 2025
- AI Pin product was discontinued; servers shut down for existing customers
- Original funding totaled approximately $230M from Microsoft, OpenAI, Salesforce Ventures, and others
Historical Use Case
Historical reference for the 2020s wearable AI assistant category. Humane's AI Pin became the canonical example of AI hardware that shipped before the technology was ready.
What Happened to Humane
Humane sold to HP in February 2025 for $116 million — far below the $230M+ raised and the $700M+ peak valuation. The AI Pin product was discontinued and existing customer servers shut down; HP folded the team and IP into its enterprise AI hardware roadmap. The product became the canonical example of AI hardware shipping before the underlying technology was ready, alongside Rabbit R1 and other 2023-2024 'AI gadget' attempts.
FAQ
Q: Why did Humane fail? A: AI Pin reviews universally panned the product for being slow, unreliable, with serious battery and heat issues. Returns exceeded sales by 2024.
Q: Acquisition price? A: $116 million from HP in February 2025.
Q: Total funding? A: Approximately $230M from Microsoft, OpenAI Startup Fund, Salesforce Ventures, and others.
Q: Founders? A: Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, both formerly senior designers at Apple.
tl;dr
AI Pin wearable failed catastrophically. HP acquired Feb 2025 for $116M. Servers shut down.
Related
Looking for more options? Browse the Productivity directory or read our best AI productivity tools listicle. Humane is also tracked on Crunchbase.
Why Use Humane
