Highlights:

  • The Ai Pin uses a tiny laser projector instead of a screen to show information on the user’s hand, including the time of day.
  • Reviews of the Ai Pin were somewhat mixed when it launched last month.

A well-funded AI wearable developer, Humane Inc. is seeking buyers reportedly. The company manufactures a gadget, Ai Pin.

Recently, it came to light that the corporation is aiming to target a sale price of USD 750 million to USD one billion. The top end of the range is USD 150 million more than what Humane is thought to have been valued at the end of the previous year. The hardware manufacturer had previously raised over USD 230 million from investors and Qualcomm Inc.’s venture capital arm, SoftBank Group Corp.

The company Humane created the Ai Pin, a hi-tech brooch designed to replace smartphones. The wearer communicates with the device using vocal instructions. The Ai Pin has a tiny laser projector instead of a screen that shows information on the user’s hand, including the time of day.

The device’s name alludes to the fact that many of its functions are powered by a collection of AI models maintained in the cloud. The models can process photos taken by the AI Pin’s built-in camera, take notes, and do web searches. It is purportedly feasible to ask the device to display pertinent reviews when standing in front of a restaurant.

The Ai Pin’s internal CPU is a Snapdragon 720G from Qualcomm, a Humane investor. It is a system-on-chip combining a graphics processing unit for midrange smartphones with a 2.3 GHz central processor unit. An integrated wireless networking module makes 4G and Wi-Fi connections possible.

The Ai Pin, which was delayed by two months, was made available for USD 699 last month. To use the device’s cloud-based AI models, which enable many of its capabilities, a USD 24 monthly 4G data plan must be purchased. The package includes a desk charger, a charging case, and two battery boosters.

Reviews of the Ai Pin were somewhat mixed when it launched last month. The device’s short battery life, restricted feature set, and the fact that some inquiries take a few seconds to respond to were complaints made by early users. Humane revealed intentions to release a software upgrade in late April to fix several customer-reported problems.

The company has reportedly hired a financial advisor to assist in finding a buyer. The sale process is thought to be in its early phases and might not result in an acquisition. The fact that Humane is allegedly looking for a USD one billion sale price may narrow the field of possible purchasers to a specific group of significant organizations in the tech sector.

Reviewers praised the Ai Pin’s physical design despite having concerns about the software features’ dependability. Given its expertise in device innovation, Humane might be a desirable acquisition target for a tech company operating in the wearables space.