The vibe of the device would be like “sitting in the most beautiful cabin by a lake and in the mountains and sort of just enjoying the peace and calm,” Altman said.
- At an event, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described the company’s forthcoming AI device as simple and free from distractions.
- OpenAI and former Apple chief designer, Jony Ive, are working on the device, which is still two years from a consumer launch.
- Currently in the prototype stage, the device is expected to be screenless and pocket-sized.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and designer Jony Ive spilled the beans, albeit very few, about the company’s forthcoming artificial intelligence (AI) gadget. They described the “vibe” as simple, calming, and devoid of “distractions.”
While still some time out, anticipation is already building around the AI device, with fans eager to see whether an actually useful, intuitive AI gadget — one that could meaningfully complement a smartphone — is possible. Early attempts like the Humane Pin and Limitless Pendant have largely fizzled.
‘It’s So Simple’
“When people see it, they say, ‘that’s it?… It’s so simple,” Altman said, describing the device in an onstage interview at social impact firm Emerson Collective’s Demo Day. The video of the talk was posted on Monday.
The vibe of the AI device would be like “sitting in the most beautiful cabin by a lake and in the mountains and sort of just enjoying the peace and calm,” Altman said.
He likened the device to the iPhone, calling Apple’s handset the “crowning achievement of consumer products,” while simultaneously criticizing the cluttered, distracting user experience in today’s tech products and services.
Attuned To User
“I feel like I am walking through Times Square in New York and constantly just dealing with all the little indignities along the way, flashing lights in my face, attention going here, people bumping into me like noises going off, and it’s an unsettling thing,” Altman said.
It can be inferred that OpenAI’s AI device would be easily configured to users’ needs, tune out distractions, provide contextually aware outputs, and improve over time.
Ive, who began working on the device after OpenAI acquired his design startup, io, in May, confirmed at the event that the device should be available within 2 years. The device is currently in the prototype stage.
The much-hyped partnership between Ive and Altman suffered a minor setback in July, when a court ordered the removal of all promotional materials about their tie-up from the AI startup’s website and YouTube channel. A video on OpenAI’s site that highlighted their partnership following the io acquisition was also taken down.
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