Jony Ive and Sam Altman are working on a new AI hardware venture with the help of a former Apple executive. Will they create the next iPhone killer?
What do you get when you combine the legendary designer of the iPhone, the visionary leader of OpenAI, and a former Apple executive with expertise in hardware engineering? A new AI hardware project that aims to create devices with cutting-edge capabilities, of course.
That’s the gist of the latest news from the tech world, where Apple executive Tang Tan reportedly is leaving the company to join Jony Ive and Sam Altman in working together on a new venture that involves the creation of new artificial intelligence hardware. The project is still in its early stages but has already attracted some of the best talent in the industry.
Ive, who left Apple in 2019 to start his own design firm LoveFrom, is no stranger to creating iconic products. He was the mastermind behind the iMac, the iPhone, the iPad, and many other devices that revolutionised the tech landscape under the guidance of Steve Jobs. Now, he hopes to do the same with AI hardware, and he has enlisted the help of Altman, who is the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, a research organisation that aims to create artificial general intelligence.
Altman will provide the software foundation for the new AI devices, while Ive will oversee the design and aesthetics. The duo has also recruited Tang Tan, who is leaving his role as Apple’s vice president of iPhone and watch product design, to join LoveFrom and lead the hardware engineering for the project.
Tan’s departure is another blow for Apple, which has seen a wave of design talent leave the company since Ive’s exit. According to Bloomberg, about 14 members of Ive’s former team have left Apple since 2019, leaving only about half a dozen of the original designers who worked under Ive.
LoveFrom, on the other hand, has grown to more than 20 former Apple employees, and has also landed some prestigious clients, such as Airbnb, Ferrari, and Moncler. LoveFrom’s consulting deal with Apple, which lasted for three years, ended in 2022.
The details of the new AI hardware project are still scarce, but sources say that the initial concepts include a set of devices for the home. The Information first reported that Ive and Altman were in talks over an AI device, and that Softbank’s Masayoshi Son was also involved in the discussions.
Altman has made it clear that he is not interested in competing with the smartphone, which he considers to be the most popular device ever. He told The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live event earlier this year that he had “no interest” in creating a device that would replace the iPhone. However, that has not stopped the speculation that the new AI hardware venture could pose a threat to Apple’s dominance in the consumer tech industry, especially given the hype around OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Source:indianexpress.com