The AI gadget sold on a demo

Humane was founded by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, both formerly of Apple, and raised $230 million from investors, according to Fortune. Its product, the AI Pin, was a small clip-on device with no screen. You spoke to an AI assistant, and it could project text onto your palm. After a heavily promoted reveal in late 2023, it went on sale in April 2024 for about $700, plus a $24 monthly subscription.

Reviews in April 2024 were harsh. Testers described slow and often wrong answers, poor battery life, a device that got hot, and a projected display that was hard to read outdoors. Engadget later recalled reports that only about 10,000 units had sold by about a month after launch, against a plan for 100,000.

In June 2024, Humane told owners to stop using the Pin's charging case, saying battery cells from one supplier might pose a fire risk.

On 18 February 2025, HP announced it would buy Humane's AI software platform, staff and more than 300 patents and patent applications for $116 million. The AI Pin was not part of the deal. Humane stopped selling it, and the devices stopped working with its servers on 28 February 2025. Only buyers within the 90-day return window could get refunds.

The AI Pin was sold on a vision and a polished demo before the core experience worked reliably. Its AI assistant depended on cloud models that were slow or wrong too often, and the hardware added heat and battery problems. A phone already did most of the same jobs, faster.

Buying AI tools carries the same risk. Launch videos and live demos show the best case, on chosen questions, in perfect conditions. What matters is how the tool does on your own everyday tasks: how often it is right, how fast it is, what it costs each month, and what happens to your data and workflow if the vendor disappears.

The idea behind this caseLesson: Choosing a model →

1. 1Run a trial on your own real tasks and count how often the tool gets them right.
2. 2Compare it honestly with what you already use, such as a phone app or a simple script.
3. 3Add up the full cost, including subscriptions, and ask what happens if prices change.
4. 4Check what happens to your data and work if the company shuts down or is sold.
5. 5Read independent reviews from people who used it for weeks, not launch-day coverage.