The Humane AI Pin, which launched at $699 in April, has struggled with disappointing sales figures and high return rates.
According to internal sales data, more AI Pins were returned than purchased between May and August.
By June, only around 8,000 units had not been returned, and as of today, that number has dropped closer to 7,000.
When the Humane AI Pin was first announced, it created quite a stir in the market with its innovative concept. However, the reality of its performance told a different story. After an initial wave of excitement, users quickly turned critical, and the product faced a barrage of negative reviews.
The AI Pin, which launched at $699 in April, has struggled with disappointing sales figures and high return rates. According to internal sales data obtained by The Verge, more AI Pins were returned than purchased between May and August. By June, only around 8,000 units had not been returned, and as of today, that number has dropped closer to 7,000.
Early reviews were harsh, with David Pierce of The Verge declaring it “just doesn’t work” and popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee labelling it “the worst product” he’s ever reviewed.
Also read: HP is buying Humane AI Pin brand for $1 billion: Report
In response to the growing number of returns, Humane is now working to stabilise its operations and regain confidence. The company is reportedly in discussions with HP about a potential acquisition and negotiating with investors to raise debt that could later be converted into equity.
Despite bringing in just over $9 million in lifetime sales, the AI Pin’s performance has been underwhelming. About 1,000 purchases were cancelled before shipping, and over $1 million worth of product has been returned. This is a stark contrast to the $200 million raised from prominent Silicon Valley figures such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. Humane had initially hoped to ship around 100,000 Pins within the first year.
Humane’s spokesperson, Zoz Cuccias, disputed the accuracy of The Verge’s financial data report but declined to provide specifics. Once a Humane Pin is returned, it cannot be refurbished due to a limitation with T-Mobile, resulting in the Pins becoming e-waste.
Amidst these challenges, the company has seen significant turnover, including in key executive roles. Despite this, Cuccias assured that the company remains committed to its vision and continues to build a skilled team.
Humane’s cofounders, Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, who previously worked at Apple, remain hopeful. When the bad reviews started to emerge, Bongiorno posted on X, “This is the starting point. No gen 1 is perfect nor is it ever the complete vision.”
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Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
