Jony Ive Confirms Involvement in AI Hardware Project With OpenAI

Former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive has officially confirmed his involvement in an artificial intelligence hardware project with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The confirmation appeared in a profile of the designer by The New York Times, putting to rest speculation that began nearly a year ago about a potential collaboration between the two figures.

jony ive ipad pro
The AI hardware venture is reportedly being funded by Ive and the Emerson Collective, a company founded by Laurene Powell Jobs. According to the report, the project could secure up to $1 billion in funding by the end of the year, signaling significant investor interest in the endeavor.

Despite its high-profile leadership, the project is still in its early stages, with only 10 employees currently on board. However, the team includes notable former Apple designers Tang Tan and Evans Hankey, both of whom worked closely with Ive on the iPhone. Ive's design firm, LoveFrom, is spearheading the device's design process.

The collaboration between Ive and Altman reportedly stemmed from discussions about the potential for generative AI to enable new types of computing devices. The technology's ability to handle complex requests is seen as a key factor in creating novel user experiences that go beyond traditional software capabilities.

While specific details about the AI product and its release timeline remain under wraps, the team has already established a significant presence in San Francisco, working out of a 32,000-square-foot office building, part of a $90 million real estate acquisition by Ive on a single city block.

The new venture marks Ive's most significant technology project since departing Apple in 2019. After leaving his role as chief design officer, Ive continued to work with Apple as a consultant through LoveFrom until 2022, when the partnership officially concluded.

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Top Rated Comments

sublunar Avatar
16 weeks ago
Could AI be made thinner? ?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
16 weeks ago
Leaked photo:



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Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bustycat Avatar
16 weeks ago
AluminIum
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Mac Daz Avatar
16 weeks ago
Love Jonny, he was a mastermind for Apple
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iDento Avatar
16 weeks ago
Sure it is not something like Rabbit R1 ('https://www.rabbit.tech/') right?

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Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ShadowJamie Avatar
16 weeks ago
I hope they come out with something groundbreaking, but I doubt it. If they do, it would undoubtedly put pressure on Apple to step up their game with the iPhone and iOS.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)