SAN FRANCISCO: Renowned designer Jony Ive, famous for his work on the iPhone, has joined OpenAI to develop devices specifically designed for generative artificial intelligence, as revealed in a video released on Wednesday by the company behind ChatGPT.
Ive and his team will take the lead on design at OpenAI following the acquisition of his startup “IO,” valued at an impressive $6.5 billion.
While details were scarce, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, remarked in the video that a prototype shared by Ive was “the most incredible piece of technology ever created.”
The San Francisco-based AI company concluded the video with a note expressing excitement to unveil the results of their collaboration next year.
Birthed in the UK, Ive was with Apple from 1992 until 2019, playing a pivotal role in the development of the company’s iconic products, such as the iMac, AirPods, iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
Collaborating closely with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Ive’s designs reinvigorated Apple, propelling it to become the world’s third-largest company by market capitalization and setting a global benchmark for product design.
According to Altman, any groundbreaking technology like AI deserves an innovative way to interact with it.
Describing AI as “magical intelligence,” Altman suggested that the technology powering ChatGPT “warrants something significantly better” than merely typing inquiries into a laptop.
Ive began teaming up with Altman two years ago, and they realized that their vision for developing and manufacturing a new range of products required an entirely new entity, as noted in their joint statement.
“The tools we currently use to engage with extraordinary technology are outdated,” said Ive.
“It’s just logical to consider that there has to be something beyond these conventional products.”
Could This Replace Smartphones?
OpenAI’s ambition to integrate its advanced chatbot into a new device has the potential to challenge Apple, which has faced difficulties in enhancing its AI strategy, especially in improving its Siri digital assistant.
As a result, Apple’s stock fell nearly three percent in after-market trading on Wednesday.
About a year ago, Apple announced plans to incorporate a variety of generative AI features into the new iPhone 16, but progress has been slow.
The Cupertino-based company has also delayed the release of an upgraded version of its Siri assistant until at least next year.
The competition to incorporate generative AI into devices also includes Amazon, which is integrating the technology into its Alexa voice assistant, with the rollout already in progress.
Known as Alexa+, Amazon’s AI-enhanced service is primarily aimed at smart home devices, including speakers and televisions.
The startup Humane recently introduced its AI Pin, a brooch-like device that could theoretically respond to spoken questions, take photos, and make calls. However, it quickly flopped due to its high price and inadequate performance, leading to its acquisition by HP at a reduced price.
Roger Beharry Lall, the director of advertising and marketing technology research at IDC, stated that it remains uncertain whether a gadget focused on AI can surpass smartphones, which continue to dominate modern life.
“Currently, smartphones serve as the primary means to access these technologies,” Beharry Lall explained.
“If anyone can determine what the next-generation interface will look like, it would likely be Mr. Ive.”
OpenAI has rapidly emerged as one of Silicon Valley’s most successful companies, gaining notoriety in 2022 with the launch of ChatGPT, their generative AI chatbot.
