Jony Ive's Latest Project Could Be an AI 'Phone' Without a Screen

OpenAI is considering acquiring the AI hardware startup founded by erstwhile Apple plan main Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to a caller study from The Information. The woody could beryllium worthy astatine slightest $500 million.


The venture, known arsenic "io Products," is processing AI-powered devices that could see a "phone" without a surface and different AI-enabled household products, according to radical volition nonstop cognition of the talks. That's contempt radical adjacent to the task seemingly insisting it is "not a phone."

Ive and Altman began their collaboration more than a twelvemonth ago, focusing connected creating voice-enabled AI assistants. The task is inactive successful the aboriginal plan stages, with nary finalized merchandise concepts yet.

The task is being funded by Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs' Emerson Collective. The startup presently employs a tiny squad that includes erstwhile Apple designers Tang Tan and Evans Hankey, who antecedently worked with Ive connected the iPhone.

Instead of a afloat acquisition, OpenAI and the hardware startup are besides discussing concern options. If acquired, OpenAI would summation not lone the exertion but besides the engineering squad that has been processing the device, according to the report's sources.

The woody operation reportedly involves io Products employing engineers to physique the instrumentality portion OpenAI provides AI capabilities and Ive's LoveFrom workplace contributes plan expertise.

An AI hardware task would enactment OpenAI successful much nonstop contention with Apple, contempt their existing concern announced past June wherever Apple's Siri adjunct uses ChatGPT for definite queries.

The AI dependable adjunct marketplace is becoming progressively competitive, with OpenAI, Meta, Google, Anthropic, and xAI each processing dependable capabilities for their substance chatbots. OpenAI launched a dependable mode for ChatGPT past year, allowing customers to prosecute successful spoken conversations with the chatbot.

Ive left Apple successful 2019, wherever helium served arsenic main plan serviceman earlier founding his plan steadfast LoveFrom. He continued to enactment with Apple arsenic a advisor done LoveFrom until 2022, erstwhile the concern officially concluded.
This article, "Jony Ive's Latest Project Could Be an AI 'Phone' Without a Screen" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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