OpenAI is looking to acquire an AI hardware startup formed by Jony Ive, former chief design officer at Apple, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to The Information. In this deal, OpenAI could pay about US$500 million (roughly C$720 million) for the startup.
The venture is called io Products and is working on AI-powered devices, which could include a phone without a screen and other AI-enabled household products. The Information attributes this to people close to the project. However, others close to these talks insist that this screenless phone isn’t a phone.
Ive and Altman’s startup started more than a year ago, and it was creating voice-enabled AI assistants. However, its products are still in their early design stages, and no product concepts have been created yet.
It’s also possible that OpenAI and the startup are discussing partnership options. According to the report’s sources, OpenAI wants to acquire the startup’s technology and the engineering team developing the device. The deal involves io Products hiring engineers to develop the device while OpenAI provides its AI know-how, and Ive’s LoveFrom will contribute design expertise.
It’s funny that OpenAI is considering a hardware product, since it would put them in direct competition with Apple. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is currently working with Apple, with the latest iPhones’ Apple Intelligence directly using ChatGPT for some queries.
Plus, this news coming in the wake of failed AI devices like the Humane AI pin and the Rabbit R1 is even more humourous. It’ll be interesting to see if OpenAI and Jony Ive can figure out an AI device that’s actually worth buying.
Source: The Information
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