Sam Altman-backed Humane Inc. has advised its customers to discontinue using the charging case of its Ai Pin device due to a potential fire hazard.
What Happened: The company, founded by former Apple executives Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, has identified a “quality issue” with the battery inside the case, which is used for charging the Ai Pin on the go.
This issue was brought to light after a single report of charging problems with the device, which was launched earlier this year, said the company in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we ask that you immediately stop using and charging your Charge Case Accessory due to an issue with certain battery cells for the Charge Case Accessory,” Humane stated.
The charging case, which is included in the Ai Pin package for $699 and above, has been marked as “out of stock” on Humane’s website. Humane that the battery supplier no longer meets its quality standards and that certain battery cells supplied by this vendor may pose a fire safety risk.
The startup has advised users to continue charging the device with the included home charging dock. It has not yet been confirmed whether Humane will replace charging cases belonging to Ai Pin owners or how long it will take to find a replacement supplier.
“We appreciate your understanding and will be providing you with two additional months free of the Humane subscription,” the company said.
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Why It Matters: This development adds to the challenges faced by Humane, which has been under scrutiny for the Ai Pin’s user interface and lack of features since its launch in April. Humane attempted to address these issues by integrating OpenAI’s latest GPT-4o AI model into the device, promising improved speed and accuracy.
The company, once seen as a potential rival to the iPhone, has also reportedly been in talks with potential buyers seeking a sale price between $750 million and $1 billion. Last year, investors assessed its value at $850 million. Up to now, the company has obtained $230 million in funding from a prominent group of investors, including OpenAI CEO Altman.
Image Credits – Humane
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