{"id":24191,"date":"2025-05-22T12:14:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T09:14:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/openai-plans-100m-ai-companions\/"},"modified":"2025-05-22T12:14:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T09:14:48","slug":"openai-plans-100m-ai-companions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/openai-plans-100m-ai-companions\/","title":{"rendered":"OpenAI plans 100m \u2018AI companions\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>OpenAI has announced the acquisition of a startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive that is developing AI devices. The deal is valued at $6.5bn, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/tech\/ai\/former-apple-design-guru-jony-ive-to-take-expansive-role-at-openai-5787f7da\">WSJ<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Sam Altman\u2019s firm will acquire io in exchange for equity worth $5bn, as it already owns 23% of the shares. Ive\u2019s startup has about 55 engineers, scientists, researchers, physicists and product developers. His second company, LoveFrom, will continue to operate independently.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Ive\u2019s collaboration with Altman began two years ago, <a href=\"https:\/\/openai.com\/sam-and-jony\/\">said<\/a> OpenAI\u2019s blog. After the merger, the former Apple executive and his firm LoveFrom will take on key design and creative roles.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">thrilled to be partnering with jony, imo the greatest designer in the world.<\/p>\n<p>excited to try to create a new generation of AI-powered computers. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IPZBNrz1jQ\">pic.twitter.com\/IPZBNrz1jQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Sam Altman (@sama) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sama\/status\/1925242282523103408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cI am thrilled to be partnering with Jony, in my opinion, the greatest designer. We are excited to try to create a new generation of AI\u2011powered computers,\u201d Altman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>OpenAI will become a client of LoveFrom, and LoveFrom will receive a stake in the startup. Closing is planned for the summer, subject to regulatory approval.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>WSJ noted that the entrepreneurs have secretly worked for two years on a classified project \u2014 a new device that \u201cwill allow consumers to go beyond screens\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Ive will oversee the design of all OpenAI products \u2014 from future versions of ChatGPT to audio features, the mobile app and other developments.<\/p>\n<p>He is credited with iconic Apple products such as the iPod, iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air. Ive also played a key role in designing Apple\u2019s new headquarters in Cupertino \u2014 Apple Park. Work on the project began in 2004, and the campus officially opened in 2019.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">100m \u2018AI companions\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/tech\/ai\/what-sam-altman-told-openai-about-the-secret-device-hes-making-with-jony-ive-f1384005?mod=tech_lead_story\">media<\/a>, Altman gave employees a preliminary overview of devices he is developing with Ive and shared plans to release 100m \u201cAI companions\u201d. He hopes they will become part of people\u2019s daily lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Altman said OpenAI staff \u201chave a chance to do the biggest thing they have ever done\u201d. Buying io could lift the firm\u2019s valuation to $1trn, he believes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The new product could be fully aware of its surroundings and the user\u2019s life. It is unobtrusive, can sit in a pocket or on a desk, and \u201cwill become the third primary device after the MacBook Pro and iPhone\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>It will not be a phone, glasses or anything worn on the body \u2014 Ive and Altman want to wean people off screens, WSJ notes. This is about a \u201cnew design movement\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The OpenAI CEO stressed that a whole \u201cline of devices\u201d is planned, comparing the concept to Apple\u2019s ecosystem. Privacy is crucial to the project\u2019s success, he said \u2014 otherwise competitors could copy the product before it reaches the market.<\/p>\n<p>For several months, Ive\u2019s team has been in talks with suppliers to ensure large\u2011scale deliveries of the device.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe are not going to ship 100m on day one,\u201d Altman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>According to him, OpenAI will make that many gadgets \u201cfaster than any company that has ever shipped 100m new devices\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The device is slated for release at the end of 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Initially, Ive\u2019s startup planned to develop and sell its own device using OpenAI technology. It later became clear that model would not work. Altman said he knew the two companies needed to combine \u2014 the device is not just an accessory but a central aspect of users\u2019 relationship with his startup.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI devices \u2014 a threat to the iPhone<\/h2>\n<p>The world of AI wearables is nascent but is drawing the attention of tech giants and entrepreneurs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Altman earlier was among the first investors in Humane \u2014 another company founded by former Apple employees. It built an AI gadget with a projector, but after a series of setbacks it was pulled from production and the firm was sold.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/telegram.org\/js\/telegram-widget.js?22\" data-telegram-post=\"forklogAI\/4019\" data-width=\"100%\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Other form factors for AI devices look more promising.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Meta\u2019s smart glasses are in demand and receive mostly positive reviews. In September 2024, the company <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/meta-unveils-new-ai-assistant-llama-3-2-models-and-more\">updated<\/a> them, adding real\u2011time video processing, reminders, translation and integration with music apps.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cTechnology shifts like the internet, the smartphone and AI happen once a generation. OpenAI is turning this shift into something tangible. Before AI there was no real threat to the businesses of Apple or Google. The emergence of AI led by OpenAI is the first serious threat in the last 20 years,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/munster_gene\/status\/1925244387325296859\">said<\/a> Apple analyst Gene Munster.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In May 2025, the company\u2019s senior vice president of services Eddy Cue <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/apple-explores-ai-search-integration-for-iphone\">said<\/a> that technology is changing too quickly and within a few years people may stop using the devices that are commonplace today.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cMaybe in 10 years you won\u2019t need an iPhone, as crazy as that sounds. Real competition is only possible when technology shifts. They create those opportunities. AI is a new technology shift and it creates new opportunities for new entrants,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Meanwhile, Apple itself <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/apples-ambitious-venture-into-ai-glasses-unveiled\">is working<\/a> on new chips for smart glasses that use cameras to scan the surroundings and rely on artificial intelligence to assist the user.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In May, Google <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/google-i-o-2025-a-249-99-ai-agent-video-generators-and-other-innovations\">joined<\/a> the smart\u2011glasses race, announcing partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to build a gadget on Android XR. It showed a concept device with Gemini AI. The glasses have a camera, microphone, speakers and a display for viewing notifications.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In September 2024, Ive <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/former-apple-designer-confirms-collaboration-on-ai-device\">confirmed<\/a> he was working on a new AI device with OpenAI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OpenAI has announced the acquisition of a startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive that is developing AI devices. The deal is valued at $6.5bn, according to WSJ.\u00a0 Sam Altman\u2019s firm will acquire io in exchange for equity worth $5bn, as it already owns 23% of the shares. Ive\u2019s startup has about 55 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"","news_style_id":"","cryptorium_level":"","_short_excerpt_text":"","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[438,1150,1190],"class_list":["post-24191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-analysis","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-news-plus","tag-openai"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"42","promo_type":"","layout_type":"","short_excerpt":"","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24191"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24191\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}