HP's Humane Acquisition: Analyzing the Aftermath

This Week in Technology: A Recap

Welcome to this week’s technology news summary. We’ll be examining the complexities surrounding HP’s $116 million acquisition of Humane, the creators of the AI Pin. Additionally, we’ll cover Mira Murati’s emergence with a new AI initiative, Duolingo’s unconventional marketing strategy, and several other significant developments.

Key Developments

The Demise of Humane’s AI Pin: The hardware company, Humane, has seen the majority of its assets acquired by HP for $116 million. This figure represents less than half of the $240 million in venture capital funding the startup had previously secured. Sales of the $499 AI Pins will cease immediately.

The AI Pin will lose connectivity to Humane’s servers after February 28th. Consequently, the device will be unable to perform functions such as making calls, sending messages, processing AI requests, or accessing cloud services. Refunds are available to customers who purchased the device within the last 90 days.

HP’s Acquisition and Employee Impact: Following the announcement of the HP acquisition, numerous Humane employees received job offers from HP. These offers included salary increases ranging from 30% to 70%, alongside stock options and bonus plans, as reported by internal documents and anonymous sources.

However, other Humane employees, particularly those directly involved with the AI Pin’s development, were informed of their job termination.

Further Industry News

iPhone SE Update: Apple has unveiled a refreshed version of the iPhone SE, marking the first major update to the budget smartphone in three years. The 16e model incorporates the A18 processor, enabling compatibility with Apple Intelligence.

This new iteration also features Face ID, replacing the Touch ID home button, and a USB-C port, superseding the Lightning port. The iPhone 16e will be available starting February 28th with a price point of $599.

Additional Headlines

• Duolingo’s Bold Marketing: Duolingo employed a striking marketing campaign, symbolically “killing” its mascot owl with a Cybertruck, which garnered significant attention.
• ChatGPT’s Neutrality: OpenAI has adjusted ChatGPT to avoid taking editorial stances, aiming to present multiple perspectives on contentious topics.
• Uber’s Legal Action: Uber is pursuing legal action against DoorDash, alleging anti-competitive practices involving intimidation of restaurant owners.
• Mira Murati’s New Venture: Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati’s new AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab, has officially launched, focusing on collaborative “multimodal” systems.
• Grok 3 Release: xAI, led by Elon Musk, has released Grok 3, its latest AI model, with enhanced capabilities for its iOS and web applications.
• Steam Malware Incident: Valve removed a malicious video game from Steam that was designed to distribute malware.
• DEI Program Changes: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s charity are ending internal DEI programs and ceasing funding for certain social advocacy initiatives.
• Amazon’s App Store Closure: Amazon will discontinue its Android app store in August, shifting focus to its own devices.
• Public Perception of Tech Leaders: A Pew Research Center study indicates that public opinion of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg is predominantly negative.
• Noise-Canceling Headphone Concerns: A BBC report raises questions about the potential neurological effects of prolonged noise-canceling headphone use.

In-Depth Analysis

The DOGE Ecosystem: A comprehensive examination of the network of individuals associated with Elon Musk and DOGE reveals a complex web of connections within the tech industry. TechCrunch has identified key players, from Musk’s close advisors to various personnel involved in the DOGE project.

This analysis highlights the relationships between these individuals and their paths into Musk’s sphere of influence.