As the saying goes, hardware is hard. Even with plenty of money and enthusiasm, first-generation startup goods are famously bad. Given that, it’s likely few are shocked that Humane’s AI Pin has been delayed from March to “mid-April,” according to a new video from the Bay Area startup’s Head of Media, Sam Sheffer.
He says the first units will “start leaving the factory at the end of March” in the Sorkin-style walk and talk. If Humane sticks to that schedule, “priority access” consumers will get the device in mid-April. The remaining preorders should arrive “shortly after.”
Due to its founders’ background at Apple and intriguing prelaunch videos, Humane garnered tech hype before its first product was launched. After an early November unveiling in San Francisco, we got some controlled hands-on time with the Ai Pin.
This gadget is the first of what may become a trend in consumer electronics as additional firms use generative AI for novel form factors. Humane sees its device as the next step in a decade-old smartphone market.
This will likely be the year of the “AI smartphone”—handsets that use OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft’s GPT models to provide new ways to interact with consumer gadgets. Last month at CES, Rabbit’s unique take on the generative AI-first consumer product made waves.
Humane is betting big on this launch. The $100 million Series C last year was part of the company’s $230 million total. Holding off until a product is consumer-ready has several benefits. Early adopters are accustomed to first-gen issues, but patience is limited. At the very least, this product must accomplish most of its job most of the time.
The firm announced 10 layoffs, or 10% of its workers, during CES. That’s not a big figure for a startup of that size, but it’s significant when it happens at a well-funded firm that has to portray trust to customers and investors.
The AI Pin costs $699 to preorder. Before March 31, customers receive three months of the device’s $24/month subscription for free.
Humane has postponed the Ai Pin ship date until mid-April.
