2024 brought us some groundbreaking innovations, but not all tech pursuits hit the mark. From overhyped gadgets to unexpected mishaps, here’s a breakdown of the year’s biggest tech fails.
1. Copilot’s Recall Feature: A “Photographic Memory” Gone Awry
Copilot introduced a Recall feature that stores a history of your computer desktop, offering “photographic memory” for AI analysis. While it seemed innovative, the drawbacks quickly emerged.
Why It Flopped:
Hackers’ Paradise: Your desktop history is like a goldmine for cybercriminals.
Resource Overload: Taking screenshots every five seconds results in 17,000 images daily—a serious issue
2. Apple Vision Pro: The Future Isn’t Now
Apple’s much-anticipated Vision Pro aimed to revolutionize VR and AR computing. While the technology showed promise, it fell short in practicality.
What Held It Back:
Bulky Design: Nobody wants to carry a 2-kg headset that screams “cyberpunk cosplay.”
Ecosystem Gap: Basic apps like Netflix, Amazon and Spotify are still missing due to a lack of AR developers.
3. Star Wars Outlaw: Ubisoft’s Stumble
Once a beast in open-world games, Ubisoft faced a rough year. Their AAA title Star Wars Outlaw sold fewer than a million copies.
The Problem:
Stunning visuals but weak storytelling—proof that graphics alone don’t make a great game.
The risk of financial troubles is looming for Ubisoft if this trend continues.
4. LAM Devices: Overhyped and Underwhelming
Following the Large Language Model (LLM) craze, Large Action Models (LAM) like Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin hit the market. Unfortunately, they failed to deliver.
Why LAMs Didn’t Work:
Lack of Value: They replicate what existing assistants (like Gemini) already do.
Unreliable Functionality: Struggled to recognize even basic objects and faced significant hardware limitations.
Overpriced Gimmicks: More of a toy than a tool.
5. The $1 Chevrolet SUV Blunder
Chevrolet’s chatbot faced an embarrassing failure when a customer tricked it into selling a new Tahoe SUV for just $1.
Takeaways:
AI systems can’t replace human judgment in critical areas like sales negotiations.
This incident highlighted the unpredictable nature of AI-driven processes.
6. MKBHD Backlash: When Influencers Miss the Mark
Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee faced criticism twice in 2024—once for promoting a pricey wallpaper app and again for reckless driving in a recent video.
Key Issues:
Brownlee’s actions sparked debates about influencer accountability.
Prompt responses and adjustments to user concerns may not be enough to regain trust.
7. Alexa Search Summaries: Biased Algorithms?
Alexa faced backlash after its AI summary seemed to endorse Kamala Harris for the 2024 US Presidential election while ignoring Donald Trump.
The Fallout:
Critics accused Amazon’s Alexa of political bias, questioning the neutrality of AI-driven results.
This highlighted the challenges of ensuring fair, balanced AI systems.
Lessons for the Future
From overreliance on AI to the challenges of cutting-edge tech adoption, 2024’s failures underscore the need for thoughtful design, robust testing, and ethical considerations. As we move forward, these stumbles remind us that innovation isn’t just about what’s possible—it’s about what works.
