AI projects that shut down or fell short

TechCrunch’s Lauren Forristal surveys AI products and companies that closed, changed direction or failed to meet expectations. The examples range from stand-alone apps to wearable hardware.

Relay, an AI workflow tool, shut down in August after larger platforms added similar automation. OpenAI also folded some stand-alone tools into ChatGPT. It reversed a ChatGPT redesign after users criticized its interface, while ChatGPT Atlas was discontinued and its useful features moved into ChatGPT. Sora, OpenAI’s video-sharing platform, shut down in March 2026 amid high operating costs and user-retention challenges.

Apple repeatedly delayed its promised AI-powered Siri. The delays contributed to a $250 million settlement over claims about Apple’s marketing of iPhone 16 AI capabilities. Microsoft’s Recall feature faced privacy and security criticism after its 2024 announcement and was delayed for nearly a year. A researcher later built a tool to extract data Recall had captured, renewing questions about its protections.

Notion Mail, launched in April 2025, is scheduled to close on September 22. Humane shut down its AI Pin business in February 2025; HP acquired most of its assets for $116 million. Humane had raised $230 million. Rabbit said it sold 100,000 R1 devices shortly after launch, though early reviews cited unreliable performance and few useful integrations.

Forristal also cites S&P Global Market Intelligence’s estimate that about 42% of corporate AI initiatives are eventually abandoned. The supplied article text ends during its Huxe discussion.