OpenAI and Jony Ive's 1st AI device not a wearable
OpenAI is joining forces with Jony Ive (the design legend behind the iPhone) to launch a brand-new consumer AI device by late 2026.
This comes after OpenAI's $6.5 billion acquisition of Ive's startup, "io."
The plan? To create a small, portable gadget that could become your go-to device alongside your phone and laptop.
The device will not have a screen
Instead of a screen, this pocket-sized gadget will use cameras and microphones to sense what's happening around you.
It won't be something you wear or put in your ear; instead, it'll connect to your phone or computer for processing and display.
Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, called an early version "the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen."
They're aiming big—planning to make 100 million units faster than any previous launch.
Meanwhile, 'io' is battling another startup over name
There's already some tension: another startup called Iyo says the name "io" is too close to theirs and has filed a complaint.
This just shows how competitive the race is to invent the next must-have AI device—something totally different from today's wearables or earbuds.