Humane showed AI Pin just weeks ago, now company has announced major layoffs

Humane showed AI Pin just weeks ago, now company has announced major layoffs

Humane, a startup founded by former Apple executives and backed by OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, recently drew the spotlight with its innovative AI Pin. This wearable device uses sensors, projectors, and AI to offer a range of features. However, while the tech world eagerly awaits the AI Pin’s official launch, Humane has unexpectedly announced layoffs of 4 percent of its workforce this week as a cost-cutting measure.

The higher executives of the company  reportedly informed the affected employees about the layoffs, explaining that the company plans to reduce its budget to cut costs, which includes workforce reduction. According to The Verge, this job cut will affect a total of 10 people.

Bethany Bongiorno, co-founder of Humane, confirmed the layoffs on the job networking platform LinkedIn, announcing that as the company is restructuring its organisational framework, they are parting ways with 10 employees. “This is part of a broader overhaul of our organisational structure as our company purposefully evolves into this next growth phase. Unfortunately, these growth evolutions sometimes necessitate tough choices. In this instance, we wish to express our heartfelt thanks to the 10 team members with whom we’ve parted ways at Humane,” Bongiorno wrote on LinkedIn.

Bongiorno also announced that CTO Patrick Gates would be transitioning to an advisory role to dedicate more time to his family. This move coincides with the company’s restructuring, as the company is promoting new heads for hardware, software, and people operations.

While the tech industry is going through another round of layoffs with tech giants like Google, Amazon and even Meta announcing to cut down their workforce as part of restructuring. The decision of Humane to cut employees came as a surprise, especially considering the company’s current focus on gearing up for the March launch of its inaugural product, the Humane AI Pin. This screenless device is positioned as an alternative to smartphones, and pre-orders began in November 2023.

With the new AI pin, Humane aims to reduce users’ screen usage and change the way everyone interacts with digital tools. By simply attaching the device to clothing, it activates and becomes a command center, allowing for voice commands, phone calls, text sending, real-time language conversion, and smart device regulation, all without a screen.

According to Humane, the AI Pin is equipped with technology from OpenAI and uses Microsoft’s cloud computing capabilities. These advanced AI platforms enable the Pin’s virtual assistant to create personalised messages. Additionally, it features a “Catch Me Up” function that sifts through users’ emails and provides concise summaries. The device also functions as a real-time translator, aimed at bridging communication gaps across various languages.

The pricing for the Humane AI Pin is set at $699 (approximately Rs 58,032). The company has also introduced a monthly subscription cost of $24 (roughly Rs 2,000).

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