OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple designer Jony Ive discussed their upcoming AI hardware device, describing it as “simple” and designed for “peace” and “calm.” This collaboration, stemming from OpenAI’s acquisition of Ive’s design startup, io, was elaborated upon during an interview led by Laurene Powell Jobs at Emerson Collective’s 9th annual Demo Day in San Francisco.
The device, currently a prototype, remains largely undisclosed regarding specific features, though rumors suggest it will be “screenless” and pocket-sized. Altman compared it to the iPhone, calling Apple’s smartphone the “crowning achievement of consumer products.” He stated his life is defined by periods before and after the iPhone’s introduction.
Altman expressed dissatisfaction with current technologies, citing their distracting nature. He likened using modern devices and applications to “walking through Times Square in New York and constantly just dealing with all the little indignities along the way — flashing lights in my face…people bumping into me, like noise is going off, and it’s an unsettling thing.” He believes notifications and social applications contribute to this issue, preventing users from achieving “peaceful and calm” focus.
In contrast, Altman envisions the AI device providing a user experience akin to “sitting in the most beautiful cabin by a lake and in the mountains and sort of just enjoying the peace and calm.” The device is intended to filter information, with users trusting the AI to manage tasks over extended periods. It will also possess contextual awareness to determine optimal times for presenting information and requesting user input. Altman noted, “You trust it over time, and it does have just this incredible contextual awareness of your whole life.”
Ive confirmed the device’s availability within two years. He stated, “I love solutions that teeter on appearing almost naive in their simplicity.” Ive also expressed appreciation for “incredibly intelligent, sophisticated products that you want to touch, and you feel no intimidation, and you want to use almost carelessly — that you use them almost without thought — that they’re just tools.”
