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Sir Jony Ive, the highly influential British designer celebrated for shaping the aesthetics of
Apple’s most iconic and triumphant products, is set to collaborate with
OpenAI. This partnership signals a significant move in the realm of
artificial intelligence design and future AI devices.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, expressed his enthusiasm, calling Ive the “greatest designer in
the world.”
The ChatGPT developer, OpenAI, is acquiring Sir Jony’s startup, io, in a deal valued at
$6.5 billion (£4.7 billion).
Altman voiced his excitement about collaborating to “create a new generation of AI-driven
computers.”
Sir Jony, known for his designs of the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, will take on “deep
design and creative responsibilities” across OpenAI, according to a joint announcement.
Reimagining Computing with AI
AI software, led by breakthroughs like ChatGPT, has seen considerable progress in recent
years.
However, developing new hardware that effectively leverages AI has been a greater
challenge, with some previous initiatives receiving negative reviews and failing to resonate
with consumers.
Altman expressed confidence that this collaboration can succeed where others have stumbled.
“I think we have the opportunity here to kind of completely reimagine what it means to use a
computer,” he stated in a video accompanying the announcement.
Sir Jony conveyed his belief that the world is on the “verge of a new age of technology.”
The collaborative effort of this pair could soon bring new devices to the forefront.
“The first one we’ve been working on I think has just completely captured our imagination,”
Sir Jony remarked.
Altman mentioned he had already tested a prototype of a device designed by Sir Jony and his
team, calling it “the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.”
‘A Singular Figure in the Design World’
Sir Jony’s 27-year career at Apple played a crucial role in the company’s resurgence, marked
by inventive offerings like the iPhone and iPod.
He also conceived the iMac in 1998 and the iPad in 2010.
Upon Sir Jony’s departure in 2019, Apple CEO Tim Cook recognized him as “a singular figure
in the design world” adding that “his role in Apple’s revival cannot be overstated.”
Following news of his partnership with OpenAI, Apple’s shares experienced a drop of over 2%.
After leaving Apple, he founded LoveFrom, which has collaborated with companies like Airbnb
and Moncler.
The announcement of the merger stated that LoveFrom had been “quietly collaborating” with
OpenAI for a period of two years.
This partnership led to the concept for io, which Sir Jony established with others the
previous year.
“It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer, and manufacture a new family of
products demanded an entirely new company,” Sir Jony and Mr. Altman commented.
According to US media sources, OpenAI possessed a 23% stake in the startup before Wednesday’s
announcement.
Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, told BBC News that it would be “foolish to bet
against Jony Ive, given his remarkable track record of delivering products that disrupt a
market”.
“There is no question that OpenAI would love to have a direct relationship with its customers
rather than delivering services via devices made by or powered by Apple, Google, or others,”
he added.
Several companies, including Humane AI and Rabbit, have aimed to create specialized devices
for the AI landscape. AI hardware development is gaining momentum.
However, Humane AI, founded by former Apple executives, faced challenges with its AI Pin
device, drawing criticism for factors like battery performance, heat management, limited
capabilities, and high costs.
OpenAI ignited a surge of investment in AI in 2022 with the introduction of ChatGPT.
It continues to expand into new territories, such as shopping and search, presenting a
challenge to established tech giants.
This venture into hardware comes as other tech companies like Meta, Google, and Apple are also
investing in products like headsets and glasses, as new possibilities emerge from advancements
in AI.