AI Pin broke my little fashion tech heart ????

Remember the buzz? Remember the $200 million raised at Silicon Valley? The whispers of a revolutionary wearable that would change how we interact with the digital world?

The AI Pin, developed by Humane, held so much promise, especially for those of us in the crypto fashion & fashion tech spaces. I know I was personally excited. I envisioned a future where tech seamlessly integrated with our style, where wearables were finally…well, wearable.

The AI Pin wasn't some clunky piece of tech you strapped to your wrist, face or outfit; it was sleek, minimalist, designed to complement any outfit. In a world where all the other wearables didn’t complete a look properly and that was “one of the reasons to not be massive adopted” (i.e. our smart glasses), this was a game-changer.

Even with the understanding that this was a first-generation product -and we all know those always come with a few hiccups- the potential seemed enormous. No, we weren't expecting it to replace our smartphones tomorrow, but the AI Pin felt like a significant step in that direction. It felt like the future of wearables was arriving, and it was arriving in style.

But, as we often see in the fast-paced world of tech, the hype train can derail.

The AI Pin, unfortunately, didn't quite live up to the lofty expectations. According to The New York Times :

From the beginning, current and former employees said, the Ai Pin had issues, which reviewers later picked apart.

For exemple:

the “device’s laser display, which consumed tremendous power and would cause the pin to overheat. Before showing the gadget to prospective partners and investors, Humane executives often chilled it on ice packs so it would last longer” (The New York Times).

This problem made Humane send to all the users - that didn’t canceled the orders yet - to to stop using the Ai Pin charging case because of a fire risk associated with its battery. Also the battery was not big enough to last long, the hefty price tag dind’t mach the quality of the product, the limited functionality left users wanting more, the hologram want’s seeable in the majority of lighting conditions…

This and some other technical problems such as: the device response is too slow, it fails at many basic tasks, it hallucinates, and it lacks important features (that to be honest, i don’t think all of these problems are Humane’s problem, the technology just isn’t there yet sometimes) were some of the reasons why so many clients requested their AI Pin return, so many canceled orders happened & why Marques Brownlee told his more than 19 million subscribers on YT that the AI Pin was “The Worst Product I’ve Ever Reviewed … for Now”.

Matt Welsh in his article for Medium talked about the "10x use case" concept highlighting a key issue with the AI Pin. A successful product needs a compelling reason to exist, making it ten times better than alternatives. Did the AI Pin have that? Potentially. Flawless functionality or AI-powered features like extended memory, as suggested by Welsh, could have been game-changers. However, the reality fell short. The AI Pin didn't solve a problem smartphones or other wearables couldn't already address. In the innovation-driven world, it felt like a solution looking for a problem.

The disappointing reality of the AI Pin is further underscored by recent reports. According to The New York Time’s article, sales figures were significantly lower than projected with just 10k units sold (considering that arround 3k of those have already being returned according to The Verge ), not even close to the 100k initially projected by the company. And the critics from the users were not chill at all.

The AI Pin's story offers valuable lessons for anyone in the tech space, especially those of us innovating at the intersection of fashion and technology. It's a stark reminder that innovation isn't just about developing cool tech; it's about timing and, crucially, product-market fit.

The AI Pin, despite its sleek design and advanced technology, missed the mark on both fronts. It launched into a market that wasn't quite ready for it, and it failed to offer a compelling enough reason for consumers to abandon their existing devices.

The takeaway? Development time isn't the only measure of success. Understanding your target audience, their needs, and the broader market landscape is just as important, if not more so.

So, what do you think? Was the AI Pin simply ahead of its time, or was it a fundamentally flawed product? Will we ever see a wearable that truly replaces our smartphones? What's the key to successful innovation in the fashion tech space? Let's discuss in the comments! I'm eager to hear your thoughts and perspectives.

In the end, I still do believe that as a wearable the product is amazing, and looking foward to buy some possible “refreshed” - and safe - AI Pin when the time comes.

See ya soon,

???