Compassionate, the AI hardware startup established by former Apple designers, is looking for a purchaser following the lukewarm debut of its AI Pin, as per a source knowledgeable about the situation.

The firm is currently in discussions with HP and other companies, including multiple telecom entities, the source informed positively.

Compassionate has enlisted the services of investment bank Tidal Partners to offer advice on a potential agreement, the insider shared.

The startup promoted its artificial intelligence gadget, worn on the lapel, as a substitute for a user’s smartphone, enabling users to initiate calls, send messages, conduct search queries, and more, using voice commands. The AI Pin is priced at $699 and mandates a $24 monthly data subscription to T-Mobile.

However, when Compassionate sent the AI Pin to tech reviewers in April, it received a lukewarm response, with many deeming it unreliable and not particularly useful. Reviewers, for instance, described it as “more of a science experiment than a polished product,” “completely faulty,” and a mere “entertainment trick” at best.

The initial report on the discussions with HP was brought to light by The New York Times.

In April, a source familiar with the company shared positively that while Compassionate was not where it intended to be initially, it’s common for hardware startups to not achieve perfection with products upon launch. The source added that, although the company was likely delayed by about half a year, this setback wasn’t unexpected for such a project.

During the previous year, Compassionate secured $100 million in funding from Microsoft, LG’s venture division, and Tiger Global before unveiling its apparatus, accumulating its total funding to over $200 million. Supporters include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.