OpenAI is the company that catapulted generative AI to the public with tools like ChatGPT. Now, it might be working on something entirely different for its next big act. It looks like OpenAI is venturing into the world of physical AI devices alongside Jony Ive, but perhaps not in the way you’d expect.
OpenAI and Jony Ive’s AI device wants to be the next big thing
According to a Wall Street Journal report, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared some intriguing details with employees. He revealed that the company’s next major product won’t be a wearable. Instead, envision a compact, screenless device. This isn’t just a gadget; it’s designed to be fully aware of its user’s surroundings.
Altman described this mysterious device as small enough to sit on a desk or even fit in a pocket. He sees it as a “third core device,” meant to sit alongside staples like your MacBook Pro and iPhone. More profoundly, he calls it an “AI companion” integrated into daily life.
This exciting new direction follows OpenAI’s recent announcement that they are acquiring “io.” This is a startup founded by the legendary former Apple designer Jony Ive. The deal, reportedly valued at a significant $6.5 billion, signals OpenAI’s serious intent to move beyond just software. The company definitely wants to get on the hardware bandwagon. Ive himself will take on a key creative and design role at OpenAI.
Why a screenless device?
So, why go screenless? The move suggests an ambition to create a new category of devices that are distinct from any other. The aim seems to be deeply embedding AI into our environments, making interaction feel more natural and less reliant on traditional screens. Altman reportedly believes this venture could eventually add a staggering $1 trillion in market value to OpenAI.
OpenAI and Jony Ive seem to have quite a bit of faith in their vision. ChatGPT’s parent company believes the potential screenless AI device will ship “faster than any other company that’s ever shipped 100 million units of something new.” Previously, Jony Ive had expressed his intention to create a product that would address the “unintended consequences” of iPhone use, founding io (now part of OpenAI) to do so. Sam Altman reportedly told his employees that this may be “the biggest project we’ve ever done as a company here.”
Regardless of the leaks, the prospect of OpenAI, guided by Jony Ive’s design genius, creating a new kind of AI companion is incredibly compelling. It hints at a future where AI isn’t just on our screens but subtly and intelligently woven into the fabric of our everyday lives.
2025-05-23 15:10:38