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During late 2023, news started to ramp up about an innovative new product that brings AI to the physical world. It’s called the AI Pin by tech startup Humane. Well, the device is set to start shipping sometime this March, which is good news. However, as for the bad news, Humane just laid off 4% of its staff.
If you’re interested in learning about the AI Pin, you can check out our coverage. In a nutshell, it’s a small pin that you can clip onto your shirt. It uses a camera and microphone to observe the world.
Basically, this is a device to bring ChatGPT with you wherever you go. You use voice commands to communicate with it and summon it. Just like with ChatGPT proper, you can ask it pretty much any question, and it will contact large language models in the cloud to deliver your results. Also, using the camera, you can scan real-world objects and ask questions about them.
The device costs $699, and it comes with a kit including batteries, a charger, a case, and more. Check out the Humane site for more information.
Humane laid off 4% of its staff
The year 2023 was no stranger to massive layoffs. Tens of thousands of workers from several major tech brands have been sent packing due to the economic downturn. We’ve seen rolling layoffs from companies like Meta, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Each layoff totaled hundreds or thousands of people being laid off.
In the case of Humane, the numbers aren’t quite so substantial. According to a source who chose to remain anonymous, the tech startup had to lay off 4% of its staff, which totals 10 people. The company announced that it was going to bring some cutbacks in order to cut down on costs. A startup company laying off employees before it launches its first product does not really bode well. In any case, we’ll have to see if the AI Pin catches on.
It’s still really early in the game for Humane, so we don’t know if the company will potentially see profits from the Pin. Right now, since the company has not launched a product as of yet, is most likely running off of investors’ money. We will have to wait until the AI Pin gets into people’s hands and starts making rounds with reviewers before we can truly know the company’s fate.