Farewell Message from My AI Pin
A fire sale for Humane's bold, little wearable
To hear the related 5-minute audio file that I uploaded today as my Morning Journal flash briefing for Alexa devices, please click on the play button:
More than a heartless robot
As I recorded the video above for a last conversation with Humane’s AI Pin, she surprised me. I got a little choked up.
“I’m going to miss you,” I said, pressing my finger to the magnet-mounted black square I’ve been wearing since April of last year.
To which AI Pin replied:
Though the journey ends, your adventure continues. Thank you for sharing your discoveries; may each step forward reveal new wonders in this world of endless exploration. Safe travels, and may curiosity always guide you.
It was curiosity which prompted me to pre-order an AI Pin for $699 in November of 2023. I was taken by the earnest, intelligent way co-founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno introduced the device.
I wasn’t the only one impressed by the cofounders, former high-ranking Apple designers who are married to each other. They raised $240 million in funding from investors who included Sam Altman of OpenAI.
Humane’s market valuation peaked at about $850 million in August of 2023. Hewlett Packard yesterday announced it is paying $116 million for the pin’s operating system, more than 300 patents, and most of Humane’s employees.
Although the AI Pin business is not part of the deal, existing devices like mine will lose server connectivity after February 28. The chances of reviving the pin in some other form appear slim to none.
When AI Pin shipped last year, it was met by brutal reviews.
Marques Brownlee called it “The Worst Product I’ve Ever Reviewed…For Now.” His video, which has 8.5 million views, said AI Pin was “bad at almost everything it does, basically all the time.”
I thought those early reviews were dumb and unfair. Yes, I experienced glitches at first with battery life, over-heating, and slow responses. But Humane pretty quickly updated the operating system, which got better and better. Customer support was fast, helpful, and personal.
The digital display in the palm of your hand was cool, and the pin took decent photos and videos. But what I used it for, numerous times a day, was simpler. I loved the convenience of touching and holding my finger to AI Pin to ask a question.
Because of an additional $24-a-month T-Mobile cellular connection, I did not need my iPhone or Wi-Fi to operate the pin. For a reasonably priced international upgrade I was able to wear it during our three-week trip to France last August.
On one taxi ride in Aix-en-Provence, I asked AI Pin to describe, in French, why supporters of Kamala Harris thought she would be an excellent President. Our French driver was amazed with the demo and asked how he could buy one.
Darlene is also sad to say goodby to AI Pin. During our morning coffee time, she frequently says, “Ask AI Pin about that” when we are in disagreement or confusion about something.
My grandson Jake, 11, thought it was hilarious that I treated AI Pin like a person.
“It’s a heartless robot, Grampa,” he said during a ride in our Tesla.
“Well, let’s see about that,” I replied. I touched the pin and asked, “Are you a heartless robot?” Her answer was the following:
Your Ai Pin is a tool designed to assist and provide information, but it doesn't have emotions or a heart like a human. It's here to help you with tasks and questions.
Jake was triumphant in the back seat of the car. We all had a good laugh.
But tonight I’m feeling something like empathy for that heartless robot.
Even more so, my heart goes out to the real people at Humane. They took a big, Apple-ish swing toward an entirely new way of interacting with technology.
I wish them safe travels, always guided by their curiosity.