Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs Reflect on Tech's Impact, Hint at New AI Device

Jony Ive's OpenAI device gets the Powell Jobs nod of approval

The mysterious AI gadget being created by OpenAI and former Apple design chief Jony Ive has been given the thumbs up from Laurene Powell Jobs. In a new interview published by The Financial Times, the two reminisce about Jony Ive's time working at Apple alongside Powell Jobs' late husband, Steve, and trying to make up for the "unintentional" harms associated with those efforts. "Many of us would say we have an uneasy relationship with technology at the moment," Ive said, adding that working on the incoming AI device alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is motivated by a sense that "humanity deserves better." In May, Ive said his latest work is driven by owning the "unintended consequences" associated with the iPhone, alluding to smartphone-related concerns like users being addicted to screens and social media.

'Humanity deserves better': Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs on tech's next chapter

Sir Jony Ive remembers the day in 1997 when he first met Laurene Powell Jobs, outside the house she shared with her late husband, Steve. "I'm standing there, holding a model of the iMac," he recalls, pointing to a picture on his office wall of the colourful computer, one of several images in a timeline of game-changing Apple products. Steve Jobs had just returned to Apple after a decade away from the company he co-founded. The relationship he formed with Ive was critical to its subsequent soaring success. "I was often at the house," Ive says. "Certainly on the weekends," says Powell Jobs, sitting across from him on a long table. Ive nods. "It feels to me like we grew up together," he says. "We've gone through hard things and happy things . . . " " . . . family and children and work," says Powell Jobs. "There's that Freud quote," Ive says. "All there is, is work and love. Love and work." It is a maxim that guided the trio on those weekends and late nights at the house when Ive and Jobs were creating products such as the iPod and iPhone, which revolutionised personal technology and changed global human behaviour. And it has guided him and Powell Jobs since 2011 when Jobs died aged 56, their friendship enduring while taking on new work collaborations. We are in the San Francisco offices of LoveFrom, Ive's "creative collective". The building, opposite an architectural bookshop beloved by Ive, has a nondescript exterior but inside is a minimalist's dream with clean, sleek lines of construction that echo his own work. Even the office toilet has a slim digital control panel. Powell Jobs, whose Emerson Collective owns The Atlantic magazine and has a philanthropy arm alongside investments in health, education and fintech companies, backed LoveFrom after Ive left Apple in 2019. "If it wasn't for Laurene," he says, "there wouldn't be LoveFrom." She also invested in io, Ive's AI design start-up, which was acquired by OpenAI last month in a deal worth $6.4bn. Announced via a video of Ive with OpenAI founder Sam Altman chatting about their collaboration in a nearby coffee shop, the deal was accompanied by the release of a black and white portrait of the pair, which some online wits compared to a similar shot of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed but it is known it will make Ive a billionaire, if he wasn't already, at least on paper. Ive's partners, including the designer Marc Newson, will also receive a windfall in OpenAI shares, as will Powell Jobs. While some of the less positive consequences [of technology] were unintentional, I still feel responsibility Ive and Altman have been tight-lipped about the AI-enabled device they are developing, and I wonder if it will invent a whole new category in the way the iPhone did for smartphones (speculation has swirled around some kind of screenless device). Ive deftly dodges my attempts to get him to tell me what it is but hints he was motivated by a disillusionment with how our relationship with devices has evolved. "Many of us would say we have an uneasy relationship with technology at the moment," he says. I'm guessing this includes screen addiction and the harms caused by social media. Whatever the device is, driving its design is "a sense of: we deserve better. Humanity deserves better." He says the collaboration with Altman and OpenAI has revived his optimism in technology -- optimism that has been dented by changes he has seen first hand in the home of the technology industry. "When I first moved here [in 1992] I came because it was characterised by people who genuinely saw that their purpose was in service to humanity, to inspire people and help people create. I don't feel that way about this place right now." Powell Jobs agrees Silicon Valley has changed -- and not necessarily for the better. "Thirty-five years ago we were still in the semiconductor era. There was the promise of making personal what had been available only to industry." Apple played its part in that democratisation of technology, making beautiful, powerful computers for consumers. In recent years, however, there has been more public questioning of the role of Big Tech in our lives. She believes "people are still animated" by the idea that technology can be a force for good but adds a caveat. "We now know, unambiguously, that there are dark uses for certain types of technology. You can only look at the studies being done on teenage girls and on anxiety in young people, and the rise of mental health needs, to understand that we've gone sideways. Certainly, technology wasn't designed to have that result. But that is the sideways result." Ive agrees. "If you make something new, if you innovate, there will be consequences unforeseen, and some will be wonderful and some will be harmful." He acknowledges his own role in the products that have changed our relationship with technology. "While some of the less positive consequences were unintentional, I still feel responsibility. And the manifestation of that is a determination to try and be useful. " AI continues to evolve and large language models are becoming more intuitive and powerful. Powell Jobs describes the current moment as "the era of the great unknown". AI, she adds, will "transform how we live, work, relate, communicate. It's not clear what direction the world is headed." If the io-OpenAI device has even a fraction of the impact of the iPhone it could, presumably, play a part in shaping how the AI era evolves. I wonder what her hope is for the collaboration. "My experience thus far with it is one of a trusted, beloved friend, but also [as an] admirer of new ideas." She says she has watched "in real time how ideas go from a thought to some words, to some drawings, to some stories, and then to prototypes, and then a different type of prototype. And then something that you think: I can't imagine that getting any better. Then seeing the next version, which is even better. Just watching something brand new be manifested, it's a wondrous thing to behold." Surely this new device will compete with those made by Apple? She demurs. "I'm still very close to the leadership team in Apple. They're really good people and I want them to succeed also." Powell Jobs, who is worth an estimated $15.6bn according to Forbes, worked in finance before meeting Jobs. A long-time friend and supporter of former vice-president Kamala Harris, she is an active philanthropist and started Emerson Collective in 2004, which she says "invests in entrepreneurs and innovators driven by purpose and a sense of possibility". Press freedom and independent journalism are among the causes she has championed. "Freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment, and until that's changed, I will believe in it." I ask about "Signalgate", The Atlantic's recent scoop, when a member of the Trump administration mistakenly added the magazine's editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a group chat on the Signal messaging platform about an imminent US strike in Yemen. "I'll include you in a thread sometime," Ive says. Great, I think: hopefully one where you spill the beans about the new AI device. The Signalgate story prompted a furious response from the US president, who called Goldberg a "sleazebag" before inviting him in for an interview weeks later. "It's very important to emphasise that, despite having the majority ownership stake in The Atlantic, I'm involved in the business side and not the editorial side," Powell Jobs says. "We feel very strongly that freedom of the press means they are free to write the truth as they find it, and follow a story as they find it. It's not up to us to approve or disapprove." One of her other passions -- immigration reform, which would provide a path to citizenship for people brought to America illegally as children -- is also in the spotlight. Powell Jobs refers to this cohort as the "Dreamers": some estimates put their total number at more than 1mn. "They are the essence of America," she says. "They are enormous contributors to society and to the economy." Yet "they are at risk now", as undocumented workers are targeted across the US. The Trump administration has not yet specifically gone after Dreamers, she adds, though if it did "I think it would be a grave injustice". It is time for the pair to have their picture taken, but not before Ive's son Charlie, who works at LoveFrom, comes to say hello. We leave the office and walk a short distance up the block to a converted cinema, one of several properties Ive has bought and redeveloped in the area. San Francisco has suffered since the pandemic and many people have not returned to the city; he and Powell Jobs stayed and have continued to be based there. Powell Jobs was part of a non-profit group that recently bought the San Francisco Art Institute -- and its vast Diego Rivera mural -- out of bankruptcy. "We will ensure that it stays accessible to the public," she says. "I feel I owe San Francisco," Ive, adds. He was born in Chingford, south-east England, but has been a US citizen for more than a decade; San Francisco has been his home for more than 30 years. "I've benefited and have learnt so much from being lucky enough to live here." It's clear there is an easy rapport between him and Powell Jobs but that shouldn't be a surprise, given the length of their friendship. "It's funny," Ive says. "As I've got older, to me, it's [about] who, not what. The very few precious relationships become so increasingly valuable, don't they?"

Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs admit to 'dark' side of tech

Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs - founder and president of the Emerson Collective, and Steve's widow - have acknowledged that the iPhone played a role in the "dark" side of technology. Ive has also said that his mysterious hardware AI device would not be happening without the support and investment of Powell Jobs ... We heard more than a year ago that Jony Ive and Sam Altman were seeking a billion dollars in funding for the device, and that they were in investment talks with Powell Jobs. We noted at the time that then entrepreneur and philanthropist was close friends with both Ive and Altman, having known each of them for decades. It appears those talks were successful, given that they participated in a joint Financial Times interview to at least allude to it. Ive said that his entire company LoveFrom would not have happened without her support. Powell Jobs, whose Emerson Collective owns The Atlantic magazine and has a philanthropy arm alongside investments in health, education and fintech companies, backed LoveFrom after Ive left Apple in 2019. "If it wasn't for Laurene," he says, "there wouldn't be LoveFrom." The pair admit that technology like smartphones has a "dark" side to it. Powell Jobs believes "people are still animated" by the idea that technology can be a force for good but adds a caveat. "We now know, unambiguously, that there are dark uses for certain types of technology. You can only look at the studies being done on teenage girls and on anxiety in young people, and the rise of mental health needs, to understand that we've gone sideways. Certainly, technology wasn't designed to have that result. But that is the sideways result." Ive agrees. "If you make something new, if you innovate, there will be consequences unforeseen, and some will be wonderful and some will be harmful." He acknowledges his own role in the products that have changed our relationship with technology. "While some of the less positive consequences were unintentional, I still feel responsibility. And the manifestation of that is a determination to try and be useful." While neither is giving anything away about the nature of the new hardware, Powell Jobs implies that it won't compete directly with Apple's current product line-up - or at least, that she doesn't want it to. "I'm still very close to the leadership team in Apple. They're really good people and I want them to succeed also." Ive said that the new project had reignited his optimism about technology.

Laurene Powell Jobs and Jony Ive Reveal Why Tech Has 'Gone Sideways' in Rare Interview

Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs have given a rare joint interview to the Financial Times, addressing their collaboration, their concerns about technology's social impact, and OpenAI's mysterious hardware device. The interview follows the recent acquisition of Ive's AI startup, IO, by OpenAI in a $6.4 billion deal. Ive was Apple's Chief Design Officer and led the design of products including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and Apple Watch. Powell Jobs is the widow of Apple CEO Steve Jobs. She was an early investor in IO said she has been closely involved with Ive's work since his departure from Apple in 2019. Ive explained that Powell Jobs was instrumental in enabling his transition from Apple, saying, "If it wasn't for Laurene, there wouldn't be LoveFrom." Before supporting IO, Powell Jobs backed LoveFrom via her organization Emerson Collective. While neither Ive nor Powell Jobs disclosed further details about the hardware device in development at OpenAI, they offered insight into the motivations behind the project and their shared belief that current technology has failed to adequately serve human wellbeing. Both expressed concern over the direction technology has taken in the years since the launch of the iPhone. Powell Jobs cited evidence of increasing mental health problems among young people as one consequence: We now know, unambiguously, that there are dark uses for certain types of technology. You can only look at the studies being done on teenage girls and on anxiety in young people, and the rise of mental health needs, to understand that we've gone sideways. Certainly, technology wasn't designed to have that result. But that is the sideways result. Ive agreed, acknowledging that even innovations developed with the best intentions can produce harmful outcomes: If you make something new, if you innovate, there will be consequences unforeseen, and some will be wonderful and some will be harmful. While some of the less positive consequences were unintentional, I still feel responsibility. And the manifestation of that is a determination to try and be useful. Powell Jobs declined to comment on whether the OpenAI device would compete directly with Apple, and emphasized her continued ties to the company: I'm still very close to the leadership team in Apple. They're really good people and I want them to succeed also. The interview also touched on broader changes in Silicon Valley culture. Ive moved to the United States in the 1990s to join Apple, but said the tech industry had lost much of its original sense of purpose: When I first moved here I came because it was characterized by people who genuinely saw that their purpose was in service to humanity, to inspire people and help people create. I don't feel that way about this place right now. Previous reports from The Wall Street Journal and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that OpenAI's first hardware device may be a compact, screenless, wearable AI companion. Kuo said it may resemble the iPod Shuffle in form factor, be worn around the neck, and begin mass production in 2027. The WSJ described the device as a user's "third core device" after a smartphone and laptop, potentially offering persistent environmental awareness and personal context. Ive said that the project has reignited his optimism about technology. The device is apparently being designed with a mentality of "we deserve better. Humanity deserves better." Read the full Financial Times interview for more information.

Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs say 'humanity deserves better' from technology

Jony Ive (center) and Laurene Powell Jobs (right) in 2022 -- image credit: Recode As Jony Ive's AI startup is bought by OpenAI, he and investor Laurene Powell Jobs talk about collaboration, and how technology has damaged society as well as benefited it. Alongside speaking of how they first met in the 1990s at Powell Jobs's and Steve Jobs's house, both also talked about how technology has not always been a force for good. "We now know, unambiguously, that there are dark uses for certain types of technology," said Powell Jobs. "You can only look at the studies being done on teenage girls and on anxiety in young people, and the rise of mental health needs, to understand that we've gone sideways." "Certainly, technology wasn't designed to have that result," she continued. "But that is the sideways result." Ive echoes that point about how technology is usually developed with positive aims, yet it has gone wrong, or been misused. As a designer of the world-changing iPhone, Ive includes his own work in this. "If you make something new, if you innovate, there will be consequences unforeseen, and some will be wonderful and some will be harmful," he said. "While some of the less positive consequences were unintentional, I still feel responsibility," continued Ive. "And the manifestation of that is a determination to try and be useful." Neither Ive nor Powell Jobs would be drawn on details of what the new OpenAI device will be, but Powell Jobs says she is following its development closely. "Just watching something brand new be manifested, it's a wondrous thing to behold." The full interview also touches on Ive's personal investment in redeveloping parts of San Francisco, and Powell Jobs rescuing the San Francisco Art Institute out of bankruptcy. But the piece also touches on the long-running friendship between the two. "It's funny... as I've got older, to me, it's [about] who, not what," said Ive. "The very few precious relationships become so increasingly valuable, don't they?"

Jony Ive built the iPhone, now he's building something new to save you from it

The legendary Apple designer recently revealed he's working on a new AI-powered device with Sam Altman of OpenAI -- one that potentially looks to overturn the spiraling relationship we have with our smartphone screens. "Even though there was no intention, I think there still needs to be responsibility and that weighs on me, as you know, heavily," Ive said in early May, regarding any potential harm, however unintended, the products he helped design may have caused. Doomscrolling, for those routinely capable of falling asleep before 11 p.m., is the act of endlessly (and sometimes mindlessly) consuming negative or meaningless content, long after it becomes informative, entertaining, or altogether good for you. The word gained official recognition in 2023, finding its way into dictionaries around the same time that humanity collectively decided that despair is now a "vibe," and life, like any good song, is infinitely better when slowed and reverbed into the kind of wistful lullaby that turns mood-meddling social media feeds into siren calls. You feel it in the mental hangover that only those who trade Bud Light for blue light will recognize, after spending hour after hour of reading too many scathing, no-source opinions on social media, or scrolling your evening away on TikTok or Instagram. Ive helped build the device that would make all of this possible. Looking ahead, he's turning to the man helming the world's most popular AI to help unmake it. In an interview with the Financial Times, Ive and longtime friend Laurene Powell Jobs -- founder of the Emerson Collective and widow to Steve Jobs -- each opened up about their views on AI, and the new device Ive is designing at OpenAI. Powell Jobs has been a backer of Ive's various projects since he left Apple in 2019. When asked what AI device he wanted to design, Ive told the FT, "We deserve better. Humanity deserves better." Powell Jobs had a front-row seat in the development of this device, telling the FT that she witnessed how ideas turn into sketches that transform into prototypes. "Just watching something brand new be manifested, it's a wondrous thing to behold," she told the publication. Via a $3 million video -- watch it above -- Altman and Ive announced last month that OpenAI had acquired "io", Ive's design startup. Ive's collaboration with OpenAI goes back to 2023, and in 2024, Ive said of his work with OpenAI: "You somehow have to make friends with uncertainty." At Apple, the success of the iPhone was anything but uncertain. That first model gave way to multiple generations of iPhone clones, faster cell speeds, better streaming technology, and social media. Smartphones and addictive notifications eventually got us to a point where, in January of this year, The Atlantic opined, "The internet is worse than a brainwashing machine." And that is likely just a sliver of what Ive must be thinking about when he says, "Many of us would say we have an uneasy relationship with technology at the moment." It only makes the questions about what kind of device he will create bigger. No web browser? A voice companion? An earpiece? While the cute Rabbit R1 and Humane AI pin -- both AI devices that flopped for different reasons -- came and went in 2024, whatever device Ive and OpenAI debut will seek a different outcome when it makes its appearance in 2026. Though Ive's design record is attracting much of the attention, what's inside this device is arguably just as intriguing. Altman has big plans for ChatGPT; a document released last week proves it. According to an internal OpenAI document released as part of the Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google, OpenAI expects ChatGPT to become a "super assistant" this year. "In the first half of next year, we'll start evolving ChatGPT into a super-assistant: one that knows you, understands what you care about, and helps with any task that a smart, trustworthy, emotionally intelligent person with a computer could do," reads the strategy document from late 2024. It goes on to say that "the timing is right" for ChatGPT to evolve. With Ive now working closely with OpenAI to design the hardware evolution of the company's powerful tech, next year may be the moment AI takes us beyond the iPhone -- and all of its harmful traits.

What We Know About iPhone Designer Jony Ive's Post-Smartphone A.I. Device So Far

Laurene Powell Jobs has already had an early look at what Jony Ive and OpenAI are building. Jony Ive spent decades shaping Apple's sleek, unmistakable aesthetic, crafting iconic products like the iPhone and iMac that defined a generation of consumer technology. Now, he's helping lead the next technological leap -- teaming up with OpenAI to design a consumer-facing A.I. device. The project has already earned the backing of Laurene Powell Jobs. Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter Sign Up Thank you for signing up! By clicking submit, you agree to our <a href="http://observermedia.com/terms">terms of service</a> and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime. See all of our newsletters "Just watching something brand new be manifested, it's a wondrous thing to behold," said Powell Jobs of Ive's recent work in a joint Financial Times interview. A longtime supporter of Ive's work, she has remained in touch since his Apple days and is also an investor in his design firm, LoveFrom. That company's spinout, io, was recently acquired by OpenAI in a $6.4 billion deal to fuse their efforts into a new category of A.I.-driven consumer products. Powell Jobs has already had an early look at what they're building. "I've watched in real time how ideas go from a thought to some words, to some drawings, to some stories, and then to prototypes, and then a different type of prototype," she said. "And then something that you think: I can't imagine that getting any better -- only to see the next version, which is even better." Following its acquisition of io and its 55-person team, Sam Altman's OpenAI is planning to launch a groundbreaking A.I. device sometime next year. Ive, who will remain independent from the company but lead its creative and design direction, began conversations with Altman about A.I. hardware back in 2023. He went on to found io later that year to explore those ideas. While the full terms of OpenAI's acquisition remain undisclosed, the deal is expected to make Ive a billionaire and grant Powell Jobs a significant stake in OpenAI. A longstanding relationship Ive and Powell Jobs have remained close since Steve Jobs's death in 2011. In addition to investing in io, Powell Jobs has also backed LoveFrom through her investment platform, Emerson Collective. "LoveFrom wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Laurene," Ive told the Financial Times. "It feels to me like we grew up together." Despite her deep involvement with Ive's OpenAI venture, Powell Jobs has not distanced herself from Apple, which is now racing alongside OpenAI and other major players to lead the A.I. race. "I'm still very close to the leadership team at Apple," said Powell Jobs, whose estimated $14.2 billion net worth is largely tied to her holdings in Apple and The Walt Disney Company. "They're really good people, and I want them to succeed also." Exactly what OpenAI is building remains tightly under wraps, though both Ive and Altman have insisted the device will not be another smartphone. Ive is aiming to design a product that counters the often unhealthy relationships people now have with their devices -- a dynamic he acknowledges helping to create. "While some of the less positive consequences were unintentional, I still feel responsibility," he said. The tech industry today has become unrecognizable from the early 1990s, when, according to Ive, innovation was driven by a sense of "service to humanity." He added, "I don't feel that way about this place right now." Powell Jobs echoed his concerns, pointing to the mental health crisis and the harmful effects of technology on young people. Through their partnership with OpenAI, both hope to restore a more optimistic and humane vision for technology. "Many of us would say we have an uneasy relationship with technology at the moment," said Ive. "Humanity deserves better."

Jony Ive, Described By Sam Altman As 'The Greatest Designer In The World' Joins OpenAI In $6.5B Deal To Build 'A Totally New Kind Of Thing' - Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

OpenAI announced on May 21 that it had made a significant move by acquiring io, the AI hardware startup co-founded by renowned designer Jony Ive. The deal is valued at approximately $6.5 billion and brings Ive and a team of former Apple AAPL engineers into OpenAI's fold to spearhead a new division focused on building screenless, AI-powered hardware devices, Bloomberg reports. Don't Miss: Mark Cuban Backs This Innovative Startup That Turns Videos into Games -- Claim Your Share Now Invest where it hurts -- and help millions heal: Invest in Cytonics and help disrupt a $390B Big Pharma stronghold. Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target - Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share! Mode Mobile developed a smartphone called EarnPhone, which allows users to earn and save money by playing video games, listening to music and reading the news. With the phone priced at an affordable $99, the barriers to adoption are low. Earning Opportunity for All Smartphone Users Mode EarnPhone State-of-the-art smartphone device includes built-in earning features. EarnOS Proprietary earning software turns smartphones into EarnPhones. Min. Investment: $1000 Share Price: $0.26 Valuation: $310M Click To Learn More About Mode MobileStrategic Move To Reinvent Human-AI Interaction According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the partnership aims to develop "a totally new kind of thing," referring to a novel category of computing devices that minimize screen dependency and prioritize seamless interaction with artificial intelligence, Bloomberg says. Ive, who co-founded io in 2024 after launching his independent design firm LoveFrom, will oversee design across all OpenAI initiatives, including both software and hardware interfaces, according to Bloomberg. According to Bloomberg, the io acquisition includes roughly 55 engineers and designers from Apple and LoveFrom. These include Tang Tan, Evans Hankey, and Scott Cannon, all of whom were instrumental in the development of the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other flagship products, Bloomberg reports. Trending: Be part of the next med-tech breakthrough for only $350 -- 500+ surgeries already done with nView's AI system. Legacy Talent And Vision Behind The Next Generation Of Devices Ive's career spans nearly three decades at Apple, where he was responsible for designing the iPhone, iMac, iPod, iPad, and Apple Watch. According to CNBC, Ive was described by the late Steve Jobs as his "spiritual partner at Apple," and his "closest and most loyal friend." Altman also referred to Ive as "the greatest designer in the world" in a post on X, expressing his excitement about their partnership. Altman said he was "thrilled to be partnering with Jony" and "excited to try to create a new generation of AI-powered computers," signaling a bold step toward reimagining how people interact with artificial intelligence. The team's mission at OpenAI will be to build a family of AI-native devices that offer new modes of interaction, breaking away from legacy interfaces like smartphone screens and physical keyboards, Bloomberg reports. According to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in an X post, one prototype involves a display-less wearable device that connects to smartphones and is worn around the neck, similar in philosophy to Apple's AirPods. See Also: Are you rich? Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. OpenAI Expands Consumer Reach As Apple Faces AI Pressure According to Bloomberg, the $6.5 billion transaction consists of $5 billion in equity and the balance from OpenAI's previously held 23% stake in io, established in a deal during the fourth quarter of 2024. Investors in io include Laurene Powell Jobs through Emerson Collective, Thrive Capital, Maverick Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, and SV Angel. This acquisition marks OpenAI's largest to date and underscores its transition from pure software research to full-stack consumer hardware development. The company's valuation has soared to $300 billion, driven by the success of ChatGPT and related AI systems, Bloomberg says. Meanwhile, Apple continues to face mounting pressure in the AI race. According to Bloomberg, the company's current platform relies in part on OpenAI's models, and its in-house capabilities have been perceived as lagging behind competitors like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. With a team of seasoned designers and engineers, OpenAI now holds a unique position to create transformative devices that align with its broader mission of democratizing access to artificial intelligence in everyday life. Read Next: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey - no cost, no obligation. How do billionaires pay less in income tax than you? Tax deferring is their number one strategy. Image: Shutterstock AAPLApple Inc$201.840.07%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum42.45Growth32.95Quality78.46Value8.69Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Steve Jobs' Widow Is Backing Jony Ive's Mystery AI Device Even Though She's Still 'Very Close' To Apple Leadership: 'If It Wasn't For Laurene...' - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Apple Inc. AAPL co-founder Steve Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, seems to have endorsed a mysterious AI hardware device being developed by Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. What Happened: In a Financial Times interview that was published on Monday, Ive reflected on his years designing the iPhone and its ripple effects on society. "Many of us would say we have an uneasy relationship with technology at the moment," he said, referring to the harmful effects of technology like social media addiction. The former Apple design chief said that his work on the AI-powered device with Altman is driven by a sense that "humanity deserves better." See Also: Tesla's Optimus May Be The First Humanoid Robot To Achieve High Volume And Tech Scale, Says Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: '... Likely To Be The Next Multi-Trillion Dollar Industry' "If you make something new, if you innovate, there will be consequences unforeseen ... While some of the less positive consequences were unintentional, I still feel responsibility. And the manifestation of that is a determination to try and be useful." Powell Jobs, who has remained close to Ive since Steve Jobs' passing in 2011, praised the collaboration and has invested in both his LoveFrom design firm and the io hardware startup behind the new device. "If it wasn't for Laurene... there wouldn't be LoveFrom," Ive said. The AI hardware project, currently valued at $6.5 billion, is being acquired by OpenAI. Powell Jobs expressed cautious optimism, noting that while technology has "dark uses," she's inspired watching ideas go from a thought to drawings, to prototypes and then something you think can't get any better, but then seeing the next version. Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox. "Just watching something brand new be manifested, it's a wondrous thing to behold," she stated. When asked if this new device will rival Apple's offerings, she said, "I'm still very close to the leadership team in Apple. They're really good people and I want them to succeed also." Before meeting Steve Jobs, Powell Jobs built her career in finance and is now estimated to be worth $11.4 billion. Why It's Important: Previously, Ive referred to smartphones and laptops as "legacy products," implying that they no longer define the future of computing. Earlier, Gene Munster cautioned that OpenAI poses the first major competitive threat to Apple in 20 years following the AI startup's acquisition of Ive's hardware startup. Apple has been struggling to make meaningful advancements in AI. The tech giant is also experiencing a wave of departures, including senior executives and engineers. This talent drain comes as rivals like Alphabet Inc.'s GOOG GOOGL Google and Microsoft Corporation MSFT continue to push forward in the generative AI race. Price Action: Apple shares climbed 0.42% during Monday's regular trading session, as per Benzinga Pro. According to Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings, Apple holds a growth score of 32.97%. Click here to compare it with other major players such as Alphabet and Microsoft. Photo Courtesy: charnsitr on Shutterstock.com Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link. Read Next: Cathie Wood Dumps Palantir As Stock Touches Peak Prices, Bails On Soaring Flying-Taxi Maker Archer Aviation Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. AAPLApple Inc$201.680.41%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum40.93Growth32.97Quality77.54Value8.78Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewGOOGAlphabet Inc$170.05-1.62%GOOGLAlphabet Inc$168.82-1.70%MSFTMicrosoft Corp$460.750.08%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs