According to a September 28 report from the Financial Times, OpenAI has plans to create an AI-focused counterpart to the iPhone. The report suggests that OpenAI is in early discussions with LoveFrom, a design firm founded by renowned British designer Jony Ive, known for his past design contributions at Apple before leaving the company in 2022.
Presently, design brainstorming sessions are aimed at devising a user-friendly and intuitive means of interacting with artificial intelligence. The sources cited by the Financial Times emphasize that the details are still in the works. They indicate that a formal partnership announcement may not occur for several months, and it could be years before a product enters the market.
Limited information has been disclosed thus far, leaving questions about how closely the device will resemble or share features with modern smartphones. It appears that OpenAI and LoveFrom aim to match the convenience and user experience associated with the iPhone, rather than focusing on specific functions.
Additionally, OpenAI is expected to secure funding from the Japanese financial giant SoftBank and its founder, Masayoshi Son. According to the report, this funding agreement could provide OpenAI with over $1 billion in financial support. There’s also the potential for Arm, a chip manufacturing company in which SoftBank holds a 90% stake, to become involved in the arrangement.
It’s worth noting that none of the mentioned parties have publicly confirmed their participation in these developments, as the Financial Times sourced this information from individuals familiar with the matter.
OpenAI is making significant progress.
OpenAI has garnered recognition primarily for its AI model, OpenGPT, and its associated chatbot, ChatGPT. The company has recently unveiled enhancements to ChatGPT, enabling it to process images, video, and audio to a certain extent. Furthermore, ChatGPT is set to gain internet access.
In late August, additional reports indicate that OpenAI’s surging popularity could propel the company toward achieving approximately $1 billion in revenue in the upcoming year.
Beyond his involvement in artificial intelligence endeavors, Sam Altman, the founder and CEO of OpenAI, is also engaged in Worldcoin, a biometric ID project based on cryptocurrency technology.