Humane Startup Announces Layoffs and CTO Role Change Amidst Product Launch Preparations

Hailed as a promising entrant in the technology sector, the hardware startup Humane has made headlines not for a product launch, but for reducing its workforce by 10 employees, a cut that affects 4% of its staff, even before its much-anticipated ambient computing devices could reach consumers.

Layoffs Prior to Product Shipment

The emerging company has yet to ship any units of its innovative Ai Pin, a sensor and AI-equipped wearable device with projection capabilities. Despite this, Humane has made the tough decision to lay off workers as it anticipates transitioning from stealth mode to becoming customer-facing.

CTO Shifts to Advisory Position

Additionally, the company's chief technology officer (CTO), who has dedicated five years to the startup, is shifting from his active role into that of an advisor. This move comes as Humane aims to align its organizational structure with its future growth strategy.

The founders of Humane, Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri, both of whom are former Apple executives, spearheaded the company since its inception in 2017. They have secured substantial investments from prominent figures, like OpenAI's Sam Altman, leading up to the reveal of their innovative product last June.

The wearable, named Ai Pin, not only boasts advanced sensors and artificial intelligence capabilities but also features a unique projector that can display information onto various surfaces. The device's announcement came with a price tag of $699, in addition to a $24 monthly subscription fee, signaling an ambitious push into the market with an accompanying mobile network service. The initial dispatch of this product was slated for March of this year.

Patience with Transitions

In the wake of the personnel changes, which include promotions within the company, the outgoing CTO Patrick Gates is said to be stepping down to spend more time with his family, following a notable 13-year engineering stint at Apple. While Humane has not disclosed a successor for the CTO position, these strategic shifts reflect the company's acknowledgment of the challenging economic landscape that even well-established industry players are grappling with.

In response to these developments, Humane remains communicative about its trajectory and hiring goals, emphasizing that it is actively seeking to fill seven new roles in its quest to reach the market successfully with its inaugural product.

layoffs, startup, technology