I wanted to believe in AI hardware. I'm not talking about the numerous smart speakers you can buy at bargain prices for setting timers and streaming Spotify. I'm talking about new gadgets, like the Humane AI Pin, that claim to use generative AI to do away with traditional interfaces. When the AI Pin launched in November 2023, that seemed possible. Humane's demos made the wearable seem promising as a smartphone alternative.
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It's well-documented now that it was rougher around the edges than it appeared, requiring multiple updates to match the basic features of the device you have in your pocket. When Humane announced it was cutting the price of the AI Pin by $200 in October 2024, I decided to give up the wearable for good. It wasn't because the small startup was slow to address the device's problems. Regardless of the AI Pin's potential, its specific and fundamental issues seem unlikely to be solved.
Related What is generative AI?
An agent of the human will, an amplifier of human cognition. Discover the power of generative AI
The AI Pin has problems with both the forest and the trees Humane's hardware hasn't received widespread software support Close ✕ Remove Ads
My biggest issue with the AI Pin is the lack of third-party software support. The AI Pin was pitched as being able to do away with traditional apps and app stores by relying on the AI models Humane's operating system, CosmOS, could access to complete tasks. At launch, those skills included audio and visual AI queries, basic phone functions, streaming music from Tidal, and a rudimentary Google Maps integration that showed nearby landmarks.
After the last update, the AI Pin can read your calendar and set timers and alarms, but otherwise remains as disconnected as before. No other music streaming services, no way to read your email, and no integration with other messaging apps like Slack, which Humane imagery on the company's website suggested was on the table.
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It's hard to make a compelling case to rely on the AI Pin over another device when these options aren't there. I imagine it's hard for a developer to justify creating an integration with the AI Pin when the CosmOS SDK isn't available and there are few daily users of the wearable.
The AI Pin is faster but still behind a traditional smartphone Still waiting for a response Source: Humane
Humane made tremendous strides by updating the AI Pin to answer requests faster and be more likely to produce trustworthy results. You still spend a noticeable amount of time waiting to receive a response. That wait time can compound if the AI Pin misunderstands you or needs additional clarification to complete a task.
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On some level, the wait for a response fits with Humane's mindful approach to computing. It's theoretically less obtrusive than opening a new tab or app.
But a smartphone, tablet, or laptop's speed is still a lighter and faster lift. I liked using the AI Pin to double-check a piece of information while doing something else. However, I can't claim that typing or clicking to complete my request wouldn't be faster. Most people focused on productivity will choose faster nine times out of ten.
It's hard to change interfaces and phone numbers at the same time A clunky UI experience Source: Humane / Android Police ✕ Remove Ads
Missing apps and slow performance are problems that could be fixed in the fullness of time. However, the difficulty of learning a new interface and dealing with the social friction of a new phone number are more fundamental. My phone number is central to multiple parts of my life. It's the identification attached to the computer I use the most (my smartphone) and how I log in to vital services, either as a log-in or a component of two-factor authentication.
Humane uses T-Mobile's network as an MVNO to offer connectivity to the AI Pin. The current limitations may have to do with the company's agreement with the carrier.
You'll receive a new phone number when you buy a new AI Pin. You can't port an existing phone number to Humane's devices. So, you must learn the ins and outs of a device that is supposed to replace your smartphone, and you have to explain to your family and friends why they have to contact you at a new number.
There are no third-party messaging apps to make this transition smoother. The AI Pin doesn't support them. That's a big ask, and I struggled with it the most when I started using the AI Pin.
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If it's just an app, why shouldn't your current phone have it?
The future shouldn't be this inconvenient Generative AI has come to phones, and that might be enough
In the last year, Gemini became more deeply integrated into Android, and Apple illustrated what a more powerful version of Siri could do in iOS. This is the moment critics of devices like the Humane AI Pin have claimed would spell the end for AI hardware. It makes less sense to buy a dedicated device when the one you have in your pocket can do the same thing.
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I'm still sympathetic to a dedicated tool for interacting with artificial intelligence. However, I'm less convinced that the AI Pin or some new experience that Humane cooks up will become a device. Most smartphones will do all the same things and better.
The AI Pin is too inconvenient to use. No price drop will change that. If you'd like to put Google's take on generative AI, Gemini, through its paces, there are now multiple ways to do that across Google Workspace and Android. You might have the only AI device you need.
