Humane, a startup founded by former Apple employees, launched the AI Pin, a wearable device priced at $699, in April 2023, amidst significant initial excitement.

However, the product has been met with overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, including tech influencer Marques Brownlee, who labeled it 'the worst product I’ve ever reviewed.'

Negative reviews have highlighted issues such as a buggy interface, slow performance, and poor battery life of just a few hours, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among users.

In light of these challenges, the company is reportedly seeking a buyer for up to $1 billion, reflecting the significant financial difficulties it faces.

Despite aiming to ship 100,000 AI Pins within the first year, only about 10,000 units have been sold, with returns outpacing new purchases.

From May to August 2023, the company experienced more returns than sales, resulting in approximately 7,000 units currently in use.

The company is unable to refurbish returned AI Pins or recover costs through resale, compounding its financial challenges and leading to significant e-waste.

Humane has acknowledged inaccuracies in financial data reported by The Verge, but specific details were not provided, adding to the uncertainty surrounding its operations.

Reports indicate that HP is considering acquiring Humane, while the company is also negotiating with current investors to raise debt that may convert to equity.

Despite these setbacks, a Humane spokesperson affirmed the company's commitment to advancing ambient and contextual computing, citing ongoing software updates aimed at improving user feedback.

Experts suggest that AI may be better suited as an integrated feature rather than a standalone product, raising questions about the future of the AI Pin.