Key Points:
1. OpenAI plans to acquire Jony Ive’s new startup io to develop an “AI Partner” device, with the goal of shipping one billion units to challenge the existing tech landscape.
2. The new AI device emphasizes environmental awareness and non-intrusive interaction, but is not a phone or glasses, aiming to become the third core device for users after laptops and phones.
3. Altman and Ive hope to combine AI technology and innovative design to create a new human-machine interaction experience without screen dependency.
OpenAI’s New Device Rumored to Be “Slightly Larger Than AI Pin”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed a groundbreaking plan this Wednesday to collaborate with Apple’s former design chief Jony Ive on developing a new type of AI device. To achieve this, OpenAI plans to acquire Ive’s startup company io for an estimated amount of up to $6.5 billion, with the goal of creating and shipping one billion AI “partner” devices to integrate into people’s daily lives.
According to reports, Altman is optimistic that this strategic acquisition and collaboration could bring up to $1 trillion in value growth to OpenAI, showcasing their enormous confidence and ambition in this product line.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed that the new device will be equipped with a camera and microphone to detect the surrounding environment but will not have display functionality, requiring connection to phones and PCs for computation and display.
Disrupting Interaction: What Is the Concept of “AI Partner”?
Altman and Ive disclosed that the product currently in development will fully perceive users’ surroundings and life details, with a core design philosophy of being “non-intrusive” and easily portable in a pocket or on a table. Positioned as the “third core device” after MacBook Pro and iPhone, the device aims to create a new human-machine interaction model.
Altman emphasized the need for secrecy to prevent competitors from imitating the product before maturity. Ive’s team has been actively negotiating with suppliers capable of large-scale production, with Altman expecting OpenAI to achieve the shipment of one billion high-quality devices at an unprecedented speed, with plans to officially release the first product by the end of next year.
“AI Partner” Leaked Details: Slightly Larger Than AI Pin
Industry research results released by Ming-Chi Kuo revealed specific information about the “new type of AI hardware device” co-developed by Jony Ive and OpenAI:
- Expected to be mass-produced in 2027.
- Assembled and shipped outside of China to reduce geopolitical risks, currently planned for assembly in Vietnam.
- The appearance of the current sample is slightly larger than AI Pin, with an exterior design resembling the small and delicate iPod Shuffle. The design and specifications may still change before mass production.
- One usage scenario is wearing the device around the neck.
- Equipped with a camera and microphone to detect the surrounding environment but lacks display functionality, requiring connection to phones and PCs for computation and display.
Stepping Into the Footsteps of Ai Pin? Challenges of the “AI Partner” Concept
Altman previously invested in the startup Humane, founded by former Apple executives and launched the “Ai Pin,” which did not meet market expectations and was sold to PC giant HP in February for $116 million. The disruptive AI device still awaits consumer market testing.
Meanwhile, OpenAI itself is still facing significant losses. According to reports, the company is expected to turn a profit in 2029, with projected losses of $44 billion before that. Developing proprietary hardware is a crucial step for OpenAI to directly reach consumers and break free from reliance on existing platforms.