Humane’s Ai Pin, which can project text onto users’ hands and translate voice messages, didn’t get a warm welcome when it launched late last year.

The hardware business is difficult, especially since the SaaS-ification of the world means investors often prefer companies with recurring revenue streams, rather than ones that rely on one-off sales.

But the biggest criticism is much more straightforward:

Why do I need an AI gadget when I already have a very powerful device in my pocket at all times? 

That was the perspective of one developer I texted, who said there wasn’t much interest in the trend in their network. They also pointed to rumors that hardware giant Apple is set to make big announcements about AI, which CEO Tim Cook hinted at during the company’s annual shareholder meeting.

In the meantime, though, some of tech’s biggest names clearly believe AI gadgets are the future. Salesforce’s Marc Benioff and OpenAI’s Sam Altman are both backers of Humane, while Khosla Ventures invested in Rabbit.