Following the acquisition of former Apple designer Jony Ive’s artificial intelligence (AI) hardware startup io by Sam Altman’s OpenAI on Wednesday, information has surfaced about the AI device these two companies might be developing. As per an industry analyst, it is currently in a prototype phase with a size slightly larger than the failed Humane’s Ai Pin, but it may still be as “elegant” as an iPod Shuffle. The device is slated to enter mass production in 2027, while its assembly and shipping may occur outside of China to mitigate geopolitical risks.
Jony Ive-OpenAI’s AI Device
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states Jony Ive and OpenAI’s new AI device currently has a prototype which is slightly larger in size than Ai Pin, Humane’s contextual computer and the wearable device. It could be as compact as an iPod Shuffle, with a design equally as “elegant”. However since it is in the prototype phase, its final design and specifications are subject to change.
Rumoured design of the AI device by Jony Ive and OpenAI
Photo Credit: X/ Ben Geskin
The AI device may be equipped with cameras and microphones for environmental detection, which may prove to be particularly useful when the AI device is worn around the neck, providing contextual awareness about the wearer’s surroundings. While it will not feature a display, the device is said to connect to smartphones and PCs, taking advantage of their computational power and display capabilities.
Kuo says Jony Ive’s io and OpenAI will kick off the mass production of the AI device in 2027. Its assembly and shipping could take place outside China amidst the geopolitical challenges and tariff wars between the country and the US. Vietnam is said to be the likely location for its assembly.
As per previous reports, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has already teased the device to the company’s employees. It would be able to rest in the user’s pocket or on their desk, apart from becoming an AI neckpiece. Altman reportedly clarified that the AI device is not a pair of glasses, with Jony Ive also being skeptical about building a wearable AI product. It is said to be a third core device that a person would put on their desk after a MacBook Pro and an iPhone.
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