Jony Ive Confirms Involvement in AI Hardware Project With OpenAI

[MacRumors]

Former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive has officially confirmed his involvement in an artificial intelligence hardware project with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The confirmation appeared in a profile of the designer by The New York Times, putting to rest speculation that began nearly a year ago about a potential collaboration between the two figures.

The AI hardware venture is reportedly being funded by Ive and the Emerson Collective, a company founded by Laurene Powell Jobs. According to the report, the project could secure up to $1 billion in funding by the end of the year, signaling significant investor interest in the endeavor.

Despite its high-profile leadership, the project is still in its early stages, with only 10 employees currently on board. However, the team includes notable former Apple designers Tang Tan and Evans Hankey, both of whom worked closely with Ive on the iPhone. Ive's design firm, LoveFrom, is spearheading the device's design process.

The collaboration between Ive and Altman reportedly stemmed from discussions about the potential for generative AI to enable new types of computing devices. The technology's ability to handle complex requests is seen as a key factor in creating novel user experiences that go beyond traditional software capabilities.

While specific details about the AI product and its release timeline remain under wraps, the team has already established a significant presence in San Francisco, working out of a 32,000-square-foot office building, part of a $90 million real estate acquisition by Ive on a single city block.

The new venture marks Ive's most significant technology project since departing Apple in 2019. After leaving his role as chief design officer, Ive continued to work with Apple as a consultant through LoveFrom until 2022, when the partnership officially concluded.

Article Link: Jony Ive Confirms Involvement in AI Hardware Project With OpenAI

 

[sublunar]

Could AI be made thinner? 😂

 

[ShadowJamie]

I hope they come out with something groundbreaking, but I doubt it. If they do, it would undoubtedly put pressure on Apple to step up their game with the iPhone and iOS.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

AI car with no steering wheel. If Tim won't Sam surely will.

 

[iDento]

Sure it is not something like Rabbit R1 right?

 

[iDento]

I hope they come out with something groundbreaking, but I doubt it. If they do, it would undoubtedly put pressure on Apple to step up their game with the iPhone and iOS.

They might make something groundbreaking, that you can use with the new Siri.

 

[redbeard331]

AiOS 7

 

[Darren.h]

what if this does not benefit Apple intelligence?? after all he is not part of Apple anymore.

he will probably sell whatever gets developed to Apple for a high cost.

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

Love Jonny, he was a mastermind for Apple

 

[jayducharme]

Spending $90 million on a building? I guess he got a good severance package from Apple. So far Ive’s company hasn’t done much. It’ll be interesting to see what he does with this. (BTW, is that a rat crawling up the side of his iPad?)

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

This could be another groundbreaking moment, like the iPhone launch**. Or just a buzz-word hyped dud.

** Not in the sense that Apple is involved in this, but that someone - and Ives is a possible contender to get this right - takes relatively new, but also tested, technology, and makes something truly useful, that will change the direction of the tech industry as a whole.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

We all know they mainly hired him so they can put a white backdrop behind him and have him talk very sternly but excitedly about the design elements of their products.

Like, I know he's actually good at designing products and graphic design.

But I still feel his biggest asset is using his persona to hype the importance of the design, far beyond what's warranted.

The man just has a way with words, above all.

 

[cicalinarrot]

EI, Emotional Intelligence. Only one button to give it dopamine. #courage

 

[orbital~debris]

Setting up his eventual return to Apple (when Apple buy OpenAI)? Could be a nice symmetry with Jobs and NeXT.

 

[iZac]

It's a strange reality we live in, where we all basically agree that the internet is a toxic environment and our phones are slowly killing us, but we're unwilling to let go of them. This current AI wave is like a promise to help ween us off our phones but mostly every way we interact with these current AI devices is slower and more frustrating than just putting our hand in our pocket and using a phone ourselves.

 

[Marco Klobas]

Article's image caption: “Hmm, still too thick...”

 

[Nozuka]

Setting up his eventual return to Apple (when Apple buy OpenAI)? Could be a nice symmetry with Jobs and NeXT.

Regulators will not let them buy them.
Microsoft would have done so a long time ago, if that was possible.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Leaked photo:

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

It’s astonishing to think that Ive can drop $90 million on an office space - for a business venture. I’m sure it won’t be all his money, but it puts into perspective just now wealthy these guys are. And credit where it’s due, he earned it.

 

[Wieslawo]

Spending $90 million on a building? I guess he got a good severance package from Apple. So far Ive’s company hasn’t done much. It’ll be interesting to see what he does with this. (BTW, is that a rat crawling up the side of his iPad?)

We don't know what Ive's company did, how many projects for Apple and other companies it participated in. Some of it we learned about later, some may be covered by a confidentiality clause. I think his company is primarily a consultancy and as such has no personal achievements to its credit.

 

[Bustycat]

AluminIum

 

[Rychiar]

Didn’t he learn from His last venture that no one wants this junk AI hardware? He might as well be retired for all the good he’s done with this new company

 

[klasma]

Could AI be made thinner? 😂

It doesn’t look like Jony is getting thinner.

 

[Simmias]

Former Apple employees have a very poor track record of success after Apple, especially in hardware (see Humane). Tony Fadell is really the only one to succeed with his Nest startup. Also, OpenAI does not seem to have the culture required for success in hardware. Relying an external design consultant, even Jony Ive, is not a fix for this. So, I'm not bullish about this endeavor.

 

[klasma]

Leaked photo:

View attachment 2426088

Isn’t AI more like a black box?