The AI Pin, a wearable device with artificial intelligence created by former Apple executives, has generated negative reviews despite the high expectations that initially existed. Developed by Humane, the AI Pin has been conceived as a square brooch that can answer questions, take photos and videos, and send messages, and was advertised as a reinvention of the human-technology relationship.
However, the technology critics have denounced it. The most prominent case has been that of the youtuber Marques Brownlee, who described it as “the worst product he has reviewed”. A starting price of $699, plus a monthly subscription of $24.99, and its limited availability (only sold in the United States) have been some of its most relevant criticisms.
The AI Pin lacks a screen and cannot be synchronized with existing smartphones or have customized applications. Despite the projection of images on the hand and basic gesture control, its usefulness is compromised by a series of flaws. Other critics, such as David Pierce from The Verge and Joanna Stern from The Wall Street Journal, have pointed out the short battery life and overheating of the device while in use.
Although Humane has raised considerable funding for its development, it has not directly responded to the criticisms, but Sam Sheffer, the company’s head of new media, acknowledged on Twitter that the software “was not where it needed to be”. The company promises future updates in the summer.
Analysts like Francisco Jerónimo, from IDC, see the AI Pin as an intriguing but senseless device from the perspective of the end user, and they fear that this failure is indicative of a larger problem in the artificial intelligence industry. Bethany Bongiorno, co-founder of Humane, acknowledges that there is work to be done, but urges to move forward despite the bad press.
Ultimately, the AI Pin raises many questions about the future of smart devices and whether they can truly compete with smartphones. Although its initial failure suggests that the answer has not yet been found, the industry continues to search for innovative solutions, hoping that someday they can fulfill the promises of AI in the hardware field.
