this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2025
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54
Humane (makers of the Humane AI Pin) acquired by HP: "HP Accelerates AI Software Investments to Transform the Future of Work" (humane.com)
submitted 4 days ago by yarr@feddit.nl to c/technology@lemmy.world
15 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

In news that surprises absolutely no one, the makers of the infamous Humane AI Pin—a device that was overpriced, underwhelming, and widely returned—have been acquired by HP.

As expected, this acquisition effectively bricks existing AI Pins. According to the press release, some features will still work, such as checking the battery level. Incredible.

The real kicker? The people behind this spectacular failure are getting a massive payday from HP. Meanwhile, customers who dropped $700+ (plus a monthly fee!) on this glorified paperweight are left in the dust.

HP has a long history of acquiring pointless companies, so this doesn’t redeem the AI Pin in any way. If anything, it just reinforces that the product was as worthless as everyone suspected.

I was hoping this saga would end in Humane going bankrupt—not them cashing out. But here we are.

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[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world -4 points 2 days ago (6 children)

So one of the first and only practical stand-alone products for AI has been sold for scrap.

Cool.

Cool cool cool.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 6 points 2 days ago (3 children)

It wasn't standalone though everything still ran on the cloud. At the time the product came out everyone said exactly the same thing, this product is just an interface for a remote AI so why not just use a phone?

Given the fact it had the battery life of a suicidal mayfly and the capacity to heat itself up to 700° I could forgive you for thinking it was running the AI locally

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

No of course that's true, I'm just saying it was an actual product based specifically, and only, around AI. The fact that it was a physical device underscores that.

How many others are there? The AI hype train has suggested we'd already have AGI and there would be no need to pay any workers for anything by now - where is it? It's nowhere. There's nothing. The fraud is coming from inside the bubble.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

If we have a do get AGI money will become instantly worthless and so there isn't really any incentive for these companies to actually make AGI.

That's not quite the same as saying that it's an impossible target though. But if we want it we'll have to do it ourselves there's no way the corporations are going to do it.

That's why this product was so blatantly stupid from the outset and why no one bought it.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

You think no one's working on AGI because it will make money worthless?

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