Humane AI, the highly valued and secretive startup, has recently made the decision to lay off 4 percent of its employees in an effort to cut costs, according to sources familiar with the matter. This move comes after the company informed its staff that budgets would be reduced this year. While Humane claims that the layoffs are part of a wider organizational refresh as the company evolves, sources have stated that the affected individuals were indeed informed of the layoff. The cuts, totaling 10 employees, come just as the startup prepares to ship its first product, a screenless AI-powered pin that is marketed as a smartphone alternative.
Humane AI, founded in 2019 by CEO Bethany Bongiorno and her husband Imran Chaudhri, has garnered significant funding, raising over $200 million from influential figures in Silicon Valley, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The startup made waves in November when it unveiled the AI Pin and began accepting preorders. The device, priced at $699, received a great deal of hype due to its secretive nature and promises of revolutionizing the technology industry.
In response to inquiries, Bongiorno took to LinkedIn to address the layoffs, framing them as part of a larger reorganization to support the company’s growth. She also announced the transition of founding CTO Patrick Gates to an advisory role. Bongiorno emphasized the promotion of new heads of hardware, software, and people as part of the restructuring process.
Despite Bongiorno’s statement, sources have confirmed that the affected employees were indeed informed of the layoff, both verbally and in writing. Bongiorno clarified that the communication was not framed as a layoff but rather as a realignment of roles and responsibilities. She expressed that the company is focused on ensuring it has the right structure for success.
(Note: This article is a work of fiction and does not reflect real events or individuals.)
The source of the article is from the blog trebujena.net