humane AI pin shuts down and discontinues all its features

Humane AI pin no longer works two years after its debut

UPDATE (February 19th, 2025): Humane AI Pin announces it is shutting down and discontinuing all of its features, including calling, messaging, AI queries and responses, and cloud access. Less than two years after its debut, the hands-free device that has hoped to become a smartphone substitute no longer works. In a company note, the team says that every Humane AI Pin will officially stop working or operating starting February 28th, 2025, at 12pm PST. All users are encouraged to sync their stored pictures, videos, and notes before the date. ‘If you do not do this, your data will be lost upon deletion,’ the company writes.

All the other consumer data will also be permanently deleted. On the date mentioned, the hands-free device stops connecting to Humane’s servers as its access fully retires. Effectively immediately as well is the discontinuation of selling the AI pin to new consumers. In other news, Humane sells its AI-powered platform Cosmos and intellectual property with more than 300 patents and patent applications to HP. The acquisition also moves Humane’s engineers, architects, and product innovators to HP’s Technology and Innovation Organization division. They now form HP’s new AI lab focused on building an ‘intelligent ecosystem’ across HP’s products and services.

all images courtesy of Humane

Look back to the features of the wearable device

Humane unveils its AI Pin in a global debut on November 9th, 2023. Before the event, a series of snippets took place throughout the year to introduce the pin device, including co-founder Imran Chaudhri’s presentation and its appearance at the Coperni SS24 show in Paris. The wearable device is pinned to clothes using either magnets or a latch, and the cameras and sensors in front of it project app and other smartphone functionalities onto the user’s palm and surfaces. Humane AI Pin employs optical sensors that enable contextual and ambient compute interactions to make sensing-based technology work.

The wearable projector and smartphone also function as a smart assistant using voice recognition. It can give accurate answers and carry out tasks for the user, doubling as a personal assistant. It integrates part of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other software that enables the wearable AI assistant to reply to questions and do smartphone functions such as making calls, sending texts, and scheduling appointments using only the voice of the user. If privacy is an issue for the user, Humane AI Pin has a feature called ‘Trust Light’ where a light indicator switches on whenever the device’s sensors, microphone, and camera are recording.

Humane AI Pin finally makes its global debut as a wearable screenless smartphone

Wearable smartphone for clothes that flash apps on hands

Humane AI Pin is a stand-alone device. There is no need to connect the device to another smartphone or projector to make it work. It also heavily relies on gestures, which the user needs to learn to utilize the wearable device. For example, when it comes to listening to music, the user can ask the device to play a specific album. Then, they can project the program onto the palm of their hands. If they want to skip the song or listen to the previous track, they just need to tilt their hand to the left or right to activate this functionality. If they want to pause or play, they tilt their hand downward and make a ‘pinch’ gesture (the ‘pinch’ gesture is the equivalent of the swipe on smartphones).

The user can not only ask Humane AI pin to send a message for them but also to use a certain tone in the way the message is written, be it excitement or nervousness. Before sending the message, the pin reads the text out loud and asks them if they are okay with it. Another feature is Catch Me Up where the wearable device reads through all the activities and reminders that the user has to finish and get done, acting like an assistant. In case the user needs specific information such as the number of the gate of someone’s house or the floor where the party will take place, Humane AI pin scans for it and immediately informs the user.

during its debut, Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno introduce Humane AI Pin via a video on its website

Looking at the first batch’s design, the housing is made of (anodized) aluminum, and the available colors are white, silver, and black named Lunar, Equinox, and Eclipse respectively. The device’s head is stretched forward and slightly tilted, which helps the projection land straight onto the palm of the hands or at least be at the eye level of the user. Humane AI Pin’s steel-like casing might recall Apple’s iPhones with its singular block and reflective surface.

Both Imran Chaudhri and co-founder Bethany Bongiorno worked for Apple. Chaudhri spent over 20 years at Apple helping create Mac, iPod, iPad, Apple Watch, and iPhone, while Bongiorno led teams as a Director of Software Engineering. The iPhone-reminiscent design inspiration may lend its presence to the Humane AI pin, including the engraving of the brand’s name behind the smart device. As of publishing the story, Humane AI pin will start accepting pre-orders starting November 16th at a price of 699 USD.

The story is updated on February 19th, 2025 to report the device’s discontinuation.

the wearable screenless smartphone works using voice recognition and commands