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How to build a DOA product: Humane AI Pin founders banned internal criticism

Jun 07, 2024 - arstechnica.com
Humane, a company founded by two former Apple employees, launched an AI Pin product that was met with negative reviews and low sales. The product, which was intended to function like a Star Trek communicator, was criticized for its poor battery life, slow voice commands, and a laser projector that didn't work well in various lighting conditions. Despite being valued at $1 billion before launch and raising $230 million from investors, the company only received around 10,000 orders for the AI Pin, a fraction of the 100,000 they hoped to sell, generating around $7 million in revenue.

The company's founders, Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, are now looking to sell the company, with potential buyers including HP. However, the asking price of $1 billion is seen as ambitious given the product's performance. The New York Times report suggests that the company's failure may be due to the founders' preference for positivity over criticism, leading to the dismissal of a senior software engineer who raised concerns about the product. Despite the setbacks, the product is still on sale at its original price.

Key takeaways:

  • The Humane AI Pin, a product launched by Humane, a company founded by two former Apple employees, has been a commercial failure, with the company looking to sell just a month after launch.
  • The product, which was intended to function as a voice assistant and was priced at $700, was heavily criticized for its poor performance and was even reported to be a fire hazard.
  • Despite these issues, the company is still hoping to sell for more than $1 billion, a valuation it held before the product's launch.
  • The company's culture of positivity over criticism reportedly led to the dismissal of a senior software engineer who raised concerns about the product, and other employees left out of frustration.
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