Maximize Your Experience: Creative Solutions for Your Unused Humane AI Pin

The Humane Ai Pin is no more, just months after it launched. After HP acquired Humane, many key features of this AI-powered device were shut down, and user data was wiped. Now, users can only check the battery life—at least that still works! However, the voice assistant is gone.

If you paid $700 for an Ai Pin, you’re probably feeling frustrated. Early adopters often face risks, but not getting a refund for a non-working device before the warranty even ends feels unfair. Humane sold about 10,000 pins, but reports of daily returns were high. This means there are now even fewer working devices left. That’s thousands of useless gadgets, contributing to the growing e-waste crisis. Humane should have handled this situation better.

Getting your money back may be tricky. If you bought the pin in October 2024, you might have a chance to dispute the charge through your credit card within the 120-day window. Let’s look at what else you can do.

Consider Filing a Complaint With the FTC

Dropping support for a product you’ve paid for can be deemed unfair. Lucas Gutterman from Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) explains that when we purchase something that advertises specific features, we expect those features to be delivered. If not, consumers deserve protection.

Gutterman encourages anyone who bought a Humane Ai Pin to file a complaint with the FTC. This can impact decisions and help protect consumers in the future.

Photograph: Federal Trade Commission

Recently, consumer groups, including US PIRG and Consumer Reports, urged the FTC to look into “software tethering.” This refers to how devices may be limited after purchase. The FTC found that about 89% of manufacturers’ websites didn’t clarify how long devices would get software updates.

Humane’s warranty excludes “software and software functionality,” which is common among many tech products. Yet, if a company markets features but fails to maintain them, it may mislead customers under the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, a law designed to protect consumers.

“Without clear information on software support, or by removing features, businesses could be tricking consumers,” Gutterman warns. “Buying a $700 product just to have it stop working isn’t right, and this situation is one that Humane could have avoided.”