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Hans India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
OpenAI's First AI Device Won't Be Wearable, Launch Delayed to 2026
OpenAI's highly anticipated hardware collaboration with iconic designer Jony Ive is still a work in progress, and recent court documents have offered fresh insights. The device, OpenAI's first foray into physical products, won't be hitting the market before 2026 — and it's definitely not going to be something you wear. According to filings revealed amid a legal dispute with a Google-backed startup called iyO, OpenAI's upcoming AI gadget will neither be a wearable nor an in-ear device. That puts early speculation to rest, which had suggested something similar to smart glasses or the Humane AI Pin. Tang Tan, OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer and a former Apple executive, stated in court, 'It is not an in-ear device, nor a wearable device.' Instead, the device is envisioned to be something that 'fits in your pocket or sits on your desk.' Tan also noted the design is still evolving and that the launch is at least a year away. That hints at a form factor potentially closer to a smart home assistant or portable desktop gadget. The project has been the subject of much intrigue since OpenAI acquired Jony Ive's company, IO Products, for $6.5 billion in May 2025. CEO Sam Altman reportedly told employees the device could become OpenAI's most important product ever, with an ambitious sales target of 100 million units. Despite denying any wearable intentions, internal communications suggest OpenAI was initially interested in ergonomic techniques like ear scanning, which iyO uses to customize its earpieces. One hardware team member even floated the idea of acquiring a database of ear scans. However, Tang Tan ultimately declined iyO's proposals to invest, collaborate, or buy the company for as much as $200 million. In a legal declaration, Evans Hankey, another ex-Apple executive leading design at OpenAI, reaffirmed: 'io has no current plans to offer a custom-moulded earpiece product.' Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has weighed in as well, suggesting that the mystery device may resemble the compact iPod Shuffle and could even be smaller than Humane's AI Pin. He added it likely won't include a screen, instead using built-in cameras and microphones to interact with the environment. Kuo believes the device will pair with smartphones and computers for processing and display, rather than operating entirely independently. He also noted that manufacturing will take place in Vietnam, potentially as a strategy to avoid geopolitical risks tied to China. Investor Laurene Powell Jobs, a backer of both Ive's ventures, reportedly previewed a prototype and described it as 'a wondrous thing to behold.' Ive himself shared that the device 'reignited his optimism about technology,' adding, 'humanity deserves better' than screen-heavy devices. OpenAI had previously shared promotional content about the partnership and acquisition, but it was quietly removed following the trademark complaint by iyO. A spokesperson for Jony Ive dismissed the trademark dispute as 'utterly baseless' and confirmed they plan to contest it in court.
Qatar Tribune
17-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Big tech on a quest for ideal AI device
Agencies ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has enlisted the legendary designer behind the iPhone to create an irresistible gadget for using generative artificial intelligence (AI). The ability to engage digital assistants as easily as speaking with friends is being built into eyewear, speakers, computers and smartphones, but some argue that the Age of AI calls for a transformational new gizmo. 'The products that we're using to deliver and connect us to unimaginable technology are decades old,' former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive said when his alliance with OpenAI was announced. 'It's just common sense to at least think, surely there's something beyond these legacy products.' Sharing no details, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said that a prototype Ive shared with him 'is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.' According to several U.S. media outlets, the device won't have a screen, nor will it be worn like a watch or broach. Kyle Li, a professor at The New School, said that since AI is not yet integrated into people's lives, there is room for a new product tailored to its use. The type of device won't be as important as whether the AI innovators like OpenAI make 'pro-human' choices when building the software that will power them, said Rob Howard of consulting firm Innovating with AI The industry is well aware of the spectacular failure of the AI Pin, a square gadget worn like a badge packed with AI features but gone from the market less than a year after its debut in 2024 due to a dearth of buyers. The AI Pin marketed by startup Humane to incredible buzz was priced at $699. Now, Meta and OpenAI are making 'big bets' on AI-infused hardware, according to CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood. OpenAI made a multi-billion-dollar deal to bring Ive's startup into the fold. Google announced early this year it is working on mixed-reality glasses with AI smarts, while Amazon continues to ramp up Alexa digital assistant capabilities in its Echo speakers and displays. Apple is being cautious embracing generative AI, slowly integrating it into iPhones even as rivals race ahead with the technology. Plans to soup up its Siri chatbot with generative AI have been indefinitely delayed. The quest for creating an AI interface that people love 'is something Apple should have jumped on a long time ago,' said Futurum research director Olivier Blanchard. Blanchard envisions some kind of hub that lets users tap into AI, most likely by speaking to it and without being connected to the internet. 'You can't push it all out in the cloud,' Blanchard said, citing concerns about reliability, security, cost, and harm to the environment due to energy demand.'There is not enough energy in the world to do this, so we need to find local solutions,' he added. Howard expects a fierce battle over what will be the must-have personal device for AI, since the number of things someone is willing to wear is limited and 'people can feel overwhelmed.' A new piece of hardware devoted to AI isn't the obvious solution, but OpenAI has the funding and the talent to deliver, according to Julien Codorniou, a partner at venture capital firm 20VC and a former Facebook executive.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Big tech on a quest for ideal AI device
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has enlisted the legendary designer behind the iPhone to create an irresistible gadget for using generative artificial intelligence (AI). The ability to engage digital assistants as easily as speaking with friends is being built into eyewear, speakers, computers and smartphones, but some argue that the Age of AI calls for a transformational new gizmo. "The products that we're using to deliver and connect us to unimaginable technology are decades old," former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive said when his alliance with OpenAI was announced. "It's just common sense to at least think, surely there's something beyond these legacy products." Sharing no details, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said that a prototype Ive shared with him "is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen." According to several US media outlets, the device won't have a screen, nor will it be worn like a watch or broach. Kyle Li, a professor at The New School, said that since AI is not yet integrated into people's lives, there is room for a new product tailored to its use. The type of device won't be as important as whether the AI innovators like OpenAI make "pro-human" choices when building the software that will power them, said Rob Howard of consulting firm Innovating with AI Learning from flops The industry is well aware of the spectacular failure of the AI Pin, a square gadget worn like a badge packed with AI features but gone from the market less than a year after its debut in 2024 due to a dearth of buyers. The AI Pin marketed by startup Humane to incredible buzz was priced at $699. Now, Meta and OpenAI are making "big bets" on AI-infused hardware, according to CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood. OpenAI made a multi-billion-dollar deal to bring Ive's startup into the fold. Google announced early this year it is working on mixed-reality glasses with AI smarts, while Amazon continues to ramp up Alexa digital assistant capabilities in its Echo speakers and displays. Apple is being cautious embracing generative AI , slowly integrating it into iPhones even as rivals race ahead with the technology. Plans to soup up its Siri chatbot with generative AI have been indefinitely delayed. The quest for creating an AI interface that people love "is something Apple should have jumped on a long time ago," said Futurum research director Olivier Blanchard. Time to talk Blanchard envisions some kind of hub that lets users tap into AI, most likely by speaking to it and without being connected to the internet. "You can't push it all out in the cloud," Blanchard said, citing concerns about reliability, security, cost, and harm to the environment due to energy demand. "There is not enough energy in the world to do this, so we need to find local solutions," he added. Howard expects a fierce battle over what will be the must-have personal device for AI, since the number of things someone is willing to wear is limited and "people can feel overwhelmed." A new piece of hardware devoted to AI isn't the obvious solution, but OpenAI has the funding and the talent to deliver, according to Julien Codorniou, a partner at venture capital firm 20VC and a former Facebook executive. OpenAI recently hired former Facebook executive and Instacart chief Fidji Simo as head of applications, and her job will be to help answer the hardware question. Voice is expected by many to be a primary way people command AI. Google chief Sundar Pichai has long expressed a vision of "ambient computing" in which technology blends invisibly into the world, waiting to be called upon. "There's no longer any reason to type or touch if you can speak instead," Blanchard said. "Generative AI wants to be increasingly human" so spoken dialogues with the technology "make sense," he added. However, smartphones are too embedded in people's lives to be snubbed any time soon, said Wood.
Daily Tribune
16-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Big tech on a quest for ideal AI device
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has enlisted the legendary designer behind the iPhone to create an irresistible gadget for using generative artificial intelligence (AI). The ability to engage digital assistants as easily as speaking with friends is being built into eyewear, speakers, computers and smartphones, but some argue that the Age of AI calls for a transformational new gizmo. 'The products that we're using to deliver and connect us to unimaginable technology are decades old ,' former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive said when his alliance with OpenAI was announced. 'It's just common sense to at least think, surely there's something beyond these legacy products.' Sharing no details, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said that a prototype Ive shared with him 'is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.' According to several US media outlets, the device won't have a screen, nor will it be worn like a watch or broach. Kyle Li, a professor at The New School, said that since AI is not yet integrated into people's lives, there is room for a new product tailored to its use. The type of device won't be as important as whether the AI innovators like Open AI make 'pro-hu - man' choices when building the software that will power them, said Rob Howard of consulting firm Innovating with AI Learning from flops The industry is well aware of the spectacular failure of the AI Pin, a square gadget worn like a badge packed with AI features but gone from the market less than a year after its debut in 2024 due to a dearth of buyers. The AI Pin marketed by startup Humane to incredible buzz was priced at $699. Now, Meta and OpenAI are making 'big bets' on AI-infused hardware, according to CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood. OpenAI made a multi-billion-dollar deal to bring Ive's startup into the fold. Google announced early this year it is working on mixed-reality glasses with AI smarts, while Amazon continues to ramp up Al- exa digital assistant capabilities in its Echo speakers and displays. Apple is being cautious embracing generative AI, slowly integrating it into iPhones even as rivals race ahead with the technology. Plans to soup up its Siri chatbot with generative AI have been indefinitely delayed. The quest for creating an AI interface that people love 'is something Apple should have jumped on a long time ago,' said Futurum research director Olivier Blanchard. Time to talk Blanchard envisions some kind of hub that lets users tap into AI, most likely by speaking to it and without being connected to the internet. 'You can't push it all out in the cloud,' Blanchard said, citing concerns about reliability, security, cost, and harm to the environment due to energy demand. 'There is not enough energy in the world to do this, so we need to find local solutions,' he added. Howard expects a fierce battle over what will be the must-have personal device for AI, since the number of things someone is willing to wear is limited and 'people can feel overwhelmed.' A new piece of hardware devoted to AI isn't the obvious solution, but OpenAI has the funding and the talent to deliver, according to Julien Codorniou, a partner at venture capital firm 20VC and a former Facebook executive. OpenAI recently hired former Facebook executive and Instacart chief Fidji Simo as head of applications, and her job will be to help answer t h e hardware question. Voice is expected by many to be a primary way people command AI. Google chief Sundar Pichai has long expressed a vision of 'ambient computing' in which technology blends invisibly into the world, waiting to be called upon. 'There's no longer any reason to type or touch if you can speak instead,' Blanchard said. 'Generative AI wants to be increasingly human' so spoken dialogues with the technology 'make sense,' he added. However, smartphones are too embedded in people's lives to be snubbed any time soon, said Wood.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Big tech on a quest for ideal AI device
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has enlisted the legendary designer behind the iPhone to create an irresistible gadget for using generative artificial intelligence (AI). The ability to engage digital assistants as easily as speaking with friends is being built into eyewear, speakers, computers and smartphones, but some argue that the Age of AI calls for a transformational new gizmo. "The products that we're using to deliver and connect us to unimaginable technology are decades old," former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive said when his alliance with OpenAI was announced. "It's just common sense to at least think, surely there's something beyond these legacy products." Sharing no details, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said that a prototype Ive shared with him "is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen." According to several US media outlets, the device won't have a screen, nor will it be worn like a watch or broach. Kyle Li, a professor at The New School, said that since AI is not yet integrated into people's lives, there is room for a new product tailored to its use. The type of device won't be as important as whether the AI innovators like OpenAI make "pro-human" choices when building the software that will power them, said Rob Howard of consulting firm Innovating with AI Learning from flops The industry is well aware of the spectacular failure of the AI Pin, a square gadget worn like a badge packed with AI features but gone from the market less than a year after its debut in 2024 due to a dearth of buyers. The AI Pin marketed by startup Humane to incredible buzz was priced at $699. Now, Meta and OpenAI are making "big bets" on AI-infused hardware, according to CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood. OpenAI made a multi-billion-dollar deal to bring Ive's startup into the fold. Google announced early this year it is working on mixed-reality glasses with AI smarts, while Amazon continues to ramp up Alexa digital assistant capabilities in its Echo speakers and displays. Apple is being cautious embracing generative AI , slowly integrating it into iPhones even as rivals race ahead with the technology. Plans to soup up its Siri chatbot with generative AI have been indefinitely delayed. The quest for creating an AI interface that people love "is something Apple should have jumped on a long time ago," said Futurum research director Olivier Blanchard. Time to talk Blanchard envisions some kind of hub that lets users tap into AI, most likely by speaking to it and without being connected to the internet. "You can't push it all out in the cloud," Blanchard said, citing concerns about reliability, security, cost, and harm to the environment due to energy demand. "There is not enough energy in the world to do this, so we need to find local solutions," he added. Howard expects a fierce battle over what will be the must-have personal device for AI, since the number of things someone is willing to wear is limited and "people can feel overwhelmed." A new piece of hardware devoted to AI isn't the obvious solution, but OpenAI has the funding and the talent to deliver, according to Julien Codorniou, a partner at venture capital firm 20VC and a former Facebook executive. OpenAI recently hired former Facebook executive and Instacart chief Fidji Simo as head of applications, and her job will be to help answer the hardware question. Voice is expected by many to be a primary way people command AI. Google chief Sundar Pichai has long expressed a vision of "ambient computing" in which technology blends invisibly into the world, waiting to be called upon. "There's no longer any reason to type or touch if you can speak instead," Blanchard said. "Generative AI wants to be increasingly human" so spoken dialogues with the technology "make sense," he added. However, smartphones are too embedded in people's lives to be snubbed any time soon, said Wood.
