Former Apple design chief Jony Ive has confirmed his collaboration with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on an AI hardware venture. The revelation comes from a New York Times profile detailing Ive's post-Apple endeavors.
The project, which remains largely under wraps, involves a partnership between Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom, and OpenAI. Funded by Ive and the Emerson Collective, Laurene Powell Jobs’ organization, the venture is anticipated to secure up to $1 billion in funding by the end of the year. Although previous reports suggested that SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son might invest a billion dollars, The New York Times did not confirm his involvement.
Chris McKay
Currently, the initiative comprises a small team of about ten employees, including Tang Tan and Evans Hankey—both of whom played pivotal roles in developing the iPhone at Apple. Ive's design firm, LoveFrom, is spearheading the device's design from a newly acquired 32,000-square-foot office in San Francisco.
Details about the device are scarce. According to the Times profile, Ive and Altman discussed leveraging generative AI to create a computing device that surpasses traditional software by handling complex user requests more efficiently. While last year’s rumors hinted at inspiration from touchscreen technology and the original iPhone, specific features and launch timelines remain undisclosed. Marc Newson, co-founder of LoveFrom, says that both the product concept and its market release are still in development.
The idea for the collaboration emerged over dinner conversations between Ive and Altman, that were facilitated by Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. These discussions centered on AI's potential to revolutionize user interactions with technology.
This venture marks Ive's most significant tech project since departing Apple in 2019. It also represents OpenAI's first foray into consumer hardware, potentially bridging the gap between its advanced AI models and everyday users.