Humane Inc.

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humane
Founded2018
Founder
HeadquartersSan Francisco, CA
ProductsAi Pin
Number of employees
200
Websitehumane.com

Humane, Inc. (stylized as hu.ma.ne[1]) is an American consumer electronics company founded in 2018 by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno.[2][3] The company designed and developed the Ai Pin,[4] which started shipping in April 2024.[5][6][7]

History[edit]

Humane was founded by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno[8] in 2018; the couple previously worked at Apple Inc.[3] The startup emerged from stealth mode in 2021.[9][10] Chaudhri revealed the device and demonstrated its features during a TED Talk in May 2023,[11][12] and it was later showcased at Paris Fashion Week in September.[13]

By November 2023, the company had raised $230 million,[14] with notable investors such as Marc Benioff, Sam Altman, Tiger Global, SoftBank, Qualcomm, Microsoft, LG, Volvo, and Salesforce. Microsoft and OpenAI also announced partnerships with Humane.[15]

Humane announced their wearable device would be called the "Ai Pin” in July 2023.[16] The device was formally announced on November 9, 2023, and sales started one week later.[14]

The Humane Ai Pin was featured in Time Magazine's Best 200 Inventions of 2023, published before the product was released and without Time being provided a review unit for testing.[17] Time's co-chairs, Marc and Lynne Benioff, are investors in Humane Inc.[17][18]

In January 2024, the company laid off 4% of its staff (10 employees).[19] The device began shipping in April 2024.[7]

Reception[edit]

Humane's Ai Pin has received generally negative reviews, praising its product design but criticizing the limited battery life and how easily the device overheats in just a few minutes.[20][21]

The Verge wrote, "After many days of testing, the one and only thing I can truly rely on the AI Pin to do is tell me the time."[20] The review from Inverse stated that it " is slow to answer even basic questions."[21] Fast Company noted that "Almost everything about the pin was a UX disaster for reviewers."[22]

In response to the criticism, lead Ai Pin engineer Ken Kocienda said that he used the product "all the time" but did find it "frustrating sometimes" in the same way as a laptop or smartphone.[23]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "After 5 years of nothing, Humane 'startup' is now shifting to AI". AppleInsider. 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  2. ^ Griffith, Erin; Mickle, Tripp (November 9, 2023). "Silicon Valley's Big, Bold Sci-Fi Bet on the Device That Comes After the Smartphone - Humane, a company started by two former Apple employees, says its new artificial intelligence pin can stop all the scrolling. Can it live up to the hype?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Porter, Jon (2023-03-09). "Is buzzy startup Humane's big idea a wearable camera?". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  4. ^ Heater, Brian (2023-09-30). "Humane's 'Ai Pin' debuts on the Paris runway". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  5. ^ "Humane Ai Pin: The 200 Best Inventions of 2023". Time. 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  6. ^ Pierce, David (2023-11-09). "Humane officially launches the AI Pin, its OpenAI-powered wearable". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  7. ^ a b Heater, Brian (2024-02-23). "Humane pushes Ai Pin ship date to mid-April". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  8. ^ Brown, Damon (2019-12-20). "How to Know It's Time to Leave Your Prominent Job".
  9. ^ Lunden, Ingrid (2021-09-01). "Humane, a stealthy hardware and software startup co-founded by an ex-Apple designer and engineer, raises $100M". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  10. ^ "This Week in AI: Open AI Disables Internet Browsing, Humane's first "Ai Pin" reveal, Japan's Education Ministry Releases AI Guidelines, and Wimbledon Picks up AI". www.niural.com. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  11. ^ Kastrenakes, Jacob (2023-05-09). "Humane's new wearable AI demo is wild to watch — and we have lots of questions". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  12. ^ Fried, Ina (2023-04-20). "Humane previews AI-powered wearable". Axios.
  13. ^ Davis, Wes (30 September 2023). "The Humane Ai Pin makes its debut on the runway at Paris Fashion Week". The Verge. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  14. ^ a b Dave, Paresh. "Humane's Ai Pin is a $700 Smartphone Alternative You Wear All Day". Wired. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  15. ^ Tilley, Aaron (2023-03-08). "WSJ News Exclusive | Startup by Ex-Apple Executives Raises $100 Million, Partners With OpenAI, Microsoft". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  16. ^ "Humane announces its wearable phone will be named 'Humane AI Pin'". AppleInsider. 2023-07-03. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  17. ^ a b "Humane Ai Pin: The 200 Best Inventions of 2023". Time. 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  18. ^ Patel, Nilay (9 November 2023). "Brother Spirit, baby". The Verge. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  19. ^ "Humane lays off staff before its 'Ai Pin' begins shipping". Engadget. 2024-01-10. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  20. ^ a b Pierce, David (2024-04-11). "Humane AI Pin review: not even close". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  21. ^ a b "The Agony and Ecstasy of Reviewing Humane's Ai Pin". Inverse. 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  22. ^ Snelling, Grace (April 12, 2024). "Humane's Ai Pin was never going to be great". Fast Company. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  23. ^ Mann, Jyoti. "Humane's head engineer defends its Ai Pin against scathing reviews, but admits it's 'frustrating sometimes'". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
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