AI hardware startup Humane is reportedly seeking a buyer following the troubled launch of its flagship product, the AI Pin. According to sources familiar with the matter, the company is exploring a sale with an asking price between $750 million and $1 billion. The move comes just weeks after the screenless, AI-powered wearable device was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and early adopters.
Founded by former Apple veterans Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, Humane raised over $230 million from prominent investors, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and was once valued at over $1 billion. The company aimed to create a new category of personal computing that would reduce reliance on smartphones. The AI Pin, which clips to clothing, uses a combination of voice commands, a laser projector, and computer vision to interact with the user and the world.
However, upon its release, the device was heavily criticized for its poor battery life, slow response times, tendency to overheat, and a high-priced mandatory subscription model. Reviewers pointed out that its core functionalities were often unreliable and failed to offer a compelling alternative to a standard smartphone. Initial sales figures were reportedly very low, falling far short of the company’s internal projections.
The search for an acquisition marks a significant and rapid setback for one of the most hyped hardware startups in recent years. While a potential buyer would acquire Humane’s intellectual property and a talented engineering team, they would also inherit a product that has so far failed to find its market. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the immense challenges involved in launching new hardware, even with a compelling vision and substantial financial backing. The outcome of the potential sale will be closely watched as a bellwether for the nascent AI-native device market.
English 
Deutsch