According to The Information, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple design director Jony Ive have teamed up to develop an AI-powered personal device and are seeking $1 billion in financing. Investors in talks include SoftBank's Masayoshi Son, OpenAI investor Thrive Capital, and well-known venture capital firm Emerson Collective. While details of the device remain confidential, the two reportedly plan to develop a personal AI product that challenges the traditional smartphone experience and explores new AI-based interactions.
Altman is involved in the project as an individual, and it is unclear whether OpenAI will participate in the new joint venture, but OpenAI's latest GPT series models may provide technical support for the device's AI capabilities. The report said that the potential of the device lies not only in the hardware itself, but also in reconstructing the way we interact with AI in our daily lives and work. The technical support provided by OpenAI will further enhance the intelligence of the device, making it different from any features previously seen on the market.
Earlier in September last year, reports about Jony Ive and Sam Altman discussing AI hardware projects said that they were raising $1 billion to build an "artificial intelligence iPhone", but no agreement had been reached on the establishment of a joint venture at the time. The latest news reveals that they have officially begun to work together on the project.
