OpenAI and Jony Ive Unveil First AI Hardware Prototypes in Ambitious Screenless Device Project

OpenAI Leaders Sam Altman and Jony Ive Have a Prototype of Screenless AI Device

The OpenAI CEO and former Apple designer say that the mysterious device could be released in as soon as two years. Famed former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have been working in secret on a screenless device that uses artificial intelligence technology. But what does it look like? How does it work? We still don't know, but the two dropped a few hints recently. Ive and Altman, who merged the company IO Products with OpenAI as they work on the project, shared more details about their plans Friday at a conference hosted by Laurene Powell Jobs, founder and president of Emerson Collective, a philanthropic investment firm. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. At Emerson Collective's Demo Day 25 event in San Francisco, the pair discussed their success with a second hardware prototype of the device and said it could be released in two years. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.) Anticipation is high for what would be OpenAI's first-ever hardware product. The hype is boosted by the fact that Ive was the lead designer on such transformative products at Apple as the iPhone, the MacBook and Apple Watch. OpenAI's most popular AI software, ChatGPT, has about 800 million active weekly users worldwide. It's likely that the hardware project would incorporate the kinds of things ChatGPT does. Altman and Ive said that the hardware they're working on has been the result of extensive exploration and numerous discussions about the implications of a computing device that knows practically everything and that users can carry with them. Altman described the work on the current prototype as "jaw-droppingly good." Past reports have suggested that the device Ive and Altman are working on will be about the size of a smartphone, but without a screen. The Demo Day 25 event appears to suggest that it will be simple and fun to operate, and will have more personality than most hardware. The AI project is said to have a more peaceful feel than some modern devices, although it's not entirely clear what that means. Altman said that most devices and apps he uses today are noisy and unsettling, but the upcoming device will have a calmer vibe. He said the product would be intuitive to use and that people would want to touch it. "I hope when people see it they just say, 'That's it,' " Altman said, to which Ive added, "They will." Altman went on to use words including "simple," "beautiful," and "playful" to describe the product. Ive said that most products don't have a sense of humor and take themselves too seriously. Altman said he hadn't realized until he saw the most recent prototype, "how much that just doesn't exist and how lovely it is to have some whimsy back." The talk seemed to refute an October report from the Financial Times suggesting that Ive faced trouble behind the scenes in creating the product.

Jony Ive and Sam Altman say they finally have an AI hardware prototype

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple designer Jony Ive have been keeping the finer details of the first mysterious OpenAI hardware under wraps, but it sounds like they've settled on a design. In an interview with Laurene Powell Jobs at Emerson Collective's 2025 Demo Day, they said they are currently prototyping the device, and when asked about a timeframe, Ive said it could arrive in "less than" two years. Little has been revealed so far about the OpenAI device in development, but it's rumored to be screen-free and "roughly the size of a smartphone." Altman described the design as "simple and beautiful and playful," adding that, "There was an earlier prototype that we were quite excited about, but I did not have any feeling of, 'I want to pick up that thing and take a bite out of it,' and then finally we got there all of a sudden." Ive similarly emphasized simplicity and whimsy, saying, "I love solutions that teeter on appearing almost naive in their simplicity, and I also love incredibly intelligent, sophisticated products that you want to touch, and you feel no intimidation, and you want to use almost carelessly, that you use them almost without thought, that they're just tools." Altman went on to comment, "I hope that when people see it, they say, 'That's it!'," to which Ive responded, "Yeah, they will."

Execs say OpenAI has first hardware prototypes, plan to reveal device in 2 years or less

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Friday that the artificial intelligence startup has finally finished its first prototypes for hardware devices. "Finally, we have the first prototypes," Altman said in a video posted Monday by the Emerson Collective, which invests in entrepreneurs. "I can't believe how jaw dropping good the work is and how exciting it is." Altman was speaking in an on-stage discussion with former Apple design chief Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of the late Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs and founder of Emerson Collective. In May, OpenAI acquired Ive's startup, called io, for $6.4 billion in equity and announced that it would make new AI devices. Ive took on design responsibilities on the hardware project. Since then, OpenAI and io have been relatively quiet about the project. Ive said he expects to reveal the device in two years or less. He said that much of the development process for new hardware is unpredictable. "Especially in large companies that value predictability, leaders get really uncomfortable with ambiguity," Ive said. Altman declined to answer a question about what exactly OpenAI is building, but said the company is targeting a calmer "vibe" with its hardware versus smartphones, which he compared to walking through Times Square. "You can then go for a vibe that is not like walking through Times Square and getting bumped into and having all this stuff compete for your attention," Altman said. "But, like, sitting in the most beautiful cabin by a lake and in the mountains and sort of just enjoying the peace and calm." He said a smart AI device will be able to do things for the user over long periods of time, filter things out and understand when something is important enough to notify the user. Altman added that the device will be able to "know everything you've ever thought about, read, said." OpenAI's hardware plans are being closely watched by rivals and potential customers alike. Companies including Amazon, Google, and Meta have released AI-oriented devices like smart glasses and speakers, but none has been a big enough hit to reshape the hardware industry. Startups are also experimenting with new device sizes like pendants and ideas like giving AI bots a personality. A major device launch from OpenAI, which has the most used chatbot with ChatGPT, could break the stalemate, and a successful product could eventually threaten Apple. The iPhone maker has yet to release an AI specific design, and the company has run into issues with rolling out improvements to Siri, its long-standing AI voice assistant. In March, Apple announced that it was delaying Siri improvements to 2026. Last week, OpenAI said it entered into an agreement with Foxconn, which manufactures many consumer electronics, including for Apple. However, the OpenAI deal with Foxconn is focused on building AI infrastructure, and the companies didn't mention device manufacturing.

Sam Altman and Jony Ive Say You'll Want to 'Lick' and 'Bite' Their New Hardware Prototype

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and famous former Apple designer Jony Ive are poised to revolutionize the way we interact with technology, in a way that they can't really describe, at a time they can't reveal. During a sit-down at the Emerson Collective's Demo Day event, the two gave us the closest thing we've gotten to a taste of what they're cooking, which is fitting because apparently it's a device that you'll want to "lick" and "bite" once you get your hands on it. Over the course of a half-hour conversation in which little more than some vibes were revealed, the duo praised each other and talked glowingly about what they've been making togetherâ€"which, again, they can't show us or say a whole lot about. At one point, Altman said it's a device that "is so simple, but then it just does." Which is great, who doesn't love a thing that does? At one point, Altman, who was more willing to share than the extremely secretive Ive, said the two have a test to tell when the device is ready: "I remember [Ive] said this early on, 'We'll know we'll have the design right when you want to lick it or take a bite out of it.'" So forget the wearable, we're headed to the realm of the edible, apparently. Ive maintained his mysterious persona throughout the conversation, but said that he loves solutions that are "Teetering on almost appearing naive in their simplicity," and that he's very into "incredibly intelligent, sophisticated products that you want to touch and you feel no intimidation and you want to use almost carelessly and almost without thought." So it's going to be extremely simple but also very sophisticated. Basically, it'll exist somewhere on a spectrum between one extreme and another. Are you starting to picture it? Altman at one point added, "I hope when people see it, they say, 'That's it?'" The two are definitely leaning into the idea of simplicity, suggesting that AI will be able to handle so much for the user that they won't need nearly the same amount of interface in front of them to interact with it. Altman described current devices like smartphones as walking through Times Square and "dealing with all the little indignities along the way" with flashing lights and people bumping into you. His device, he says, will be "like sitting in the most beautiful cabin by a lake and in the mountains and just enjoying the peace and calm." Let's just say all of that sounds great, even though it kinda sounds like nothing, really. The comments assume that the duo and their teams figure out how this thing is actually going to work, and the early reports haven't been great. Last month, the Financial Times reported that they hadn't solved how to actually make the device function as intended with the currently available computing power. So basically, thus far, they've built a very fancy paperweight. Despite the reported struggles, the pair seems sure they're just about to turn the corner. When Ive was asked if we'll see the device in the next five years, he said, "Much sooner than that," and eventually even committed to the possibility that they'll release something in under two years. So keep your eyes out for a device that may or may not work, but that you'll want to eat.

Jony Ive and Sam Altman have first prototype of mysterious AI hardware - 9to5Mac

At Emerson Collective's Demo Day, Laurene Powell Jobs got Jony Ive and Sam Altman to open up a bit more about what they're building together. In the interview, the duo reveal that they have their first AI hardware prototypes and expect to start building the product in less than two years. "Finally, we have the first prototypes," says OpenAI boss Sam Altman. "I can't believe how jaw-droppingly good the work is and how exciting it is. But also, now getting to the benefit of hindsight and looking at the progress -- the process backwards -- how much it's all in there and how it wouldn't have worked any other way. And then out of the end of it comes this extraordinary thing." News of the official collaboration between OpenAI and Jony Ive's design team broke in May, although Ive first confirmed his work with OpenAI a year ago. Discussions were first reported two years ago. Since then, the only thing we've learned is the team is developing a family of products without displays. When pressed by Powell Jobs about when the device will be built, Ive says with confidence that the product will be ready in less than two years. No news on what it will actually do or how it will look, however. Altman does point out how the iPhone is like walking through Times Square, though, with all the distractions it produces. He later names the iPhone as the one product that he just loves and uses. He hopes the OpenAI hardware will restore some of the spirit lost to the iPhone. Meanwhile, Ive points to ceramic as a material that he appreciates and wants to work with more in the future. Here's to hoping the Apple Watch design team agrees and brings back the best-looking material someday. As for one of his favorite inventions? The pocket. Apple, of course, recently expressed fondness for the pocket as well with the release of the very Jony Ive era-friendly iPhone Pocket.

Jony Ive and Sam Altman Discuss AI Device That's Playful, Bite Worthy, and as Peaceful as a Cabin By a Lake

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and io Products creator Jony Ive forged a friendship that led to OpenAI's acquisition of io, and subsequently, an AI-based hardware product that both Altman and Ive believe is a reimagination of what it means to use a computer. Here are several ways that Altman and Ive described their AI hardware device: Rumors have described the device that io is working on as an AI phone without a screen, a "third core device" after a MacBook and an iPhone that's unobtrusive and able to sit in a pocket or on a desk, an iPod Shuffle-sized device that's neck worn, and a pocket-sized gadget that's screen-free but contextually aware of your life with microphones and cameras. It is not any kind of wearable like glasses, a watch, or earbuds. Ive and Altman expect to have a device ready to hit the market in less than two years from now. The full interview with Altman and Ive is worth watching to see the commentary in context.

Sam Altman and Jony Ive AI device is now in its prototype phase and its 'vibe' is defined

Can a tech product be like a 'cabin by a lake'? OpenAI CEO Sam Altman certainly thinks so. Altman and former Apple design maven Jony Ive shared this week with Laurene Powell Jobs perhaps more than ever before about the eagerly anticipated AI product coming from their joint company: IO. While we still don't know much of anything about the mysterious AI product, it is clear that the new gadget will be different from most consumer electronics available today. Altman commented, during a chat with Ive and Powell Jobs at Emmerson Collective Demo Day, that while the iPhone, which Ive designed, is "the crowning achievement of consumer products," most of today's devices and apps seem to fall short of that mark. They make Altman feel "like I am walking through Times Square in New York and constantly just dealing with all the little indignities along the way, flashing lights in my face, tension going here, people bumping into me like noise is going off. And it's an unsettling thing, you know, it's like bright stuff, flashing notifications come in, like dopamine chasing here and there, and short attention spans." By contrast, Altman said the device they're building has enough contextual awareness not to bother you. Instead, it would know when to ask for information, when to present information. "And it does have just this incredible contextual awareness of your whole life. You can then go for a vibe that is not like walking through Times Square and getting bumped into and having all this stuff compete for your attention. But, like, sitting in the most beautiful cabin by a lake and in the mountains and sort of just enjoying the peace and calm." That "vibe" as Altman. described it, is coming soon-ish. Powell Jobs pressed for the timeframe for when we might finally see this mystery device, asking if it might be in five years. "Much sooner than that," started Ive. Powell asked, "Two?" and Ive followed, "I think even less than that." That's surprising, considering recent reports that claimed the pair were struggling with the device. If there's anything else to be gleaned from this chat, it's that this AI-rich product, which we expected to be filled with the latest GPT models, will know everything about you, and it aims to be unfussy, possibly even simple. Ive tried to make his intentions clear: "I can't bear products that are like a dog wagging their tail in your face, or products that are so proud that they solve the complicated problem, they want to remind you of how hard it was. I love solutions that teeter on the appearing almost naive, in their simplicity. And I also love incredibly intelligent, sophisticated products that you want to touch." Or wear. Most believe that Altman and Ive are building a wearable device that will be approximately the size of an old iPod shuffle. Surely, as Altman put it, to "know everything about you," it needs the situational awareness that comes with being attached to your clothing or person and facing the world as you see it. Alman added that early on in their collaboration, Ive said that whatever the final product does, "We're going to make people smile. We're going to make people feel joy." For an AI product, that may be a tall order. After all, most people approach the advent of generative AI and chatbots with a mixture of happiness and terror. They love the quick, witty answers, summaries, and artwork they can get from ChatGPT, but are also concerned about how the technology might take their jobs or, when it reaches Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), take over the world.

Jony Ive: OpenAI plans elegantly simple device

Why it matters: There's immense curiosity about what Ive and his team are up to. The device he designs could well be the way that everyday people begin to interface fluently with AI. Powell Jobs -- founder and president of Emerson Collective, which invests in entrepreneurs and innovators -- interviewed Ive and Altman ("two generational thinkers," she called them) during the group's ninth annual Demo Day, held in San Francisco last Thursday. The interview was made public Monday. * When Powell Jobs pressed Ive on when people will see the OpenAI devices, he said he thinks "even less than" two years. OpenAI said when the deal was announced last May that the first products were set to be shown in 2026. What we're watching: "I love solutions that teeter on appearing almost naive in their simplicity," Ive said. "I also love incredibly intelligent, sophisticated products that you want to touch -- and you feel no intimidation, and you want to use almost carelessly, that you use them almost without thought, that they're just tools." * Altman jumped in to add: "I hope that when people see it, they say, 'That's it!'" * Ive promised: "Yeah, they will." Behind the scenes: Altman, elaborating on Ive's simplicity mindset, said that AI "can do so much for you that so much can fall away. And the degree to which Jony has chipped away at every little thing that this doesn't need to do or doesn't need to be in there is remarkable." * "We just started talking about: What does it mean that this thing is going to be able to know everything you've ever thought about, read, said? ... And finally, we have the first prototypes." Altman recalled that Ive once said they'd know they had the design right when the user wants "to lick it or take a bite out of it, or something like that." * "There was an earlier prototype that we were quite excited about, but I did not have any feeling of: 'I want to pick up that thing and take a bite out of it.' And then finally we got there all of a sudden." Altman said the design is "so simple and beautiful and playful, for lack of a better word." Altman told the Demo Day audience that during an early meeting, Ive said: "We are going to make people smile. We are going to make people feel joy. Whatever the product does, it has to do that." * Altman continued: "And I was like, 'Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Jony. People just want to be efficient. It's fine.' Obvious weakness of mine. But I am so happy that Jony pushed on that. And I didn't realize until things started to come together how much that just doesn't exist in the current set of tech companies, and how lovely it is to have some whimsy back." Emerson Collective's Demo Day included 10 demos, two fireside chats and one performance.

AppleInsider.com

In an interview hosted by Laurene Powell Jobs, Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have confirmed that a prototype for the first OpenAI device does actually exist, and may ship as soon as 2027. Former Apple design chief Jony Ive is actively working with OpenAI on some form of hardware that uses artificial intelligence. In a conversation with Laurene Powell Jobs, Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that the effort has apparently settled on a design for the device. The conversation with Powell Jobs at the Emerson Collective Demo Day, published to YouTube on Monday, took some time to discuss their work under "io," a startup that was bought by Altman's OpenAi for $6.5 billion in equity. While few details about the hardware are actually known about, The Verge reports the duo said that prototyping is underway for the hardware. As for when it can actually ship to consumers, Ive added it could become available in "less than" two years. Design philosophy, no detail During the conversation, Altman said the current design of the prototype is "simple and beautiful and playful," without going into actual detail. He adds that an earlier prototype was exciting, but it didn't give him the feeling of "I want to pick up that thing and take a bite out of it." Curious edible descriptiveness aside, Altman at least insists the new design "got there all of a sudden." This is not the first time that a prototype has been mentioned, as Altman did say earlier in 2025 that he had been able to "live with it" at home. For Ive, he sad that he prefers hardware that appears "almost naive in their simplicity," as well as designs that "you want to touch, and you feel no intimidation." He hopes for a design that users will want to use "almost carelessly, that you use them almost without thought, that they're just tools." Current speculation for the device effectively describes it as being smartphone-like but without a display. This may put the item in the same category as other physical AI devices, like the ill-fated Humane AI pin. The attempt to avoid that fate has started strong, with OpenAI securing some of Apple's hardware team for the project. The effort is led by Tang Tan, OpenAI's chief hardware officer and a 25-year Apple veteran with experience working under Apple hardware chief John Ternus and Jony Ive. However, it may take a lot more than keen design, OpenAI's smarts, and a ton of cash to make a dent against the smartphone market as a whole with a market-adjacent device. There's always a possibility of OpenAI doing on-device AI processing better than Apple's Siri, but it'll take a lot of work to actually achieve.

Ive and Altman Say OpenAI's First Device Will Launch in Under 2 Years | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Ive said the team already built a working prototype and plans to bring the device to market in "even less than" two years. He said the design centers on creating something people can use without hesitation, suggesting a device meant for everyday use rather than a specialized tool. While at Apple, Ive lead the design team for iconic products including the iMac, iPhone and iPad. "I also love incredibly intelligent, sophisticated products that you want to touch, and you feel no intimidation and that you want to use almost carelessly," Ive said. "That you use them almost without thought, that they are just tools." Altman said the intelligence behind the device should carry enough of the work that the hardware can recede into the background. He said the product aims to reduce the number of steps required to interact with AI and allow users to rely on natural inputs. His comments indicate that the company wants a device to act as an ambient assistant rather than another screen. Both described a system that could understand a user's activity across reading, communication and daily context, suggesting a deeper level of personal assistance than current consumer devices offer. In May, PYMNTS reported that OpenAI acquired Jony Ive's device startup io for about $6.4 billion, creating a dedicated hardware division inside the company. The acquisition unified Ive's design direction with OpenAI's expanding push into physical computing. PYMNTS later reported comments from OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar, who described the device as "multimodal" and "provocative." She said the product will support text, sound and sight and will not require users to look at a screen. Her remarks outlined how the device could function as a front door to OpenAI's multimodal models and serve users through more natural interaction. While vague, the statements from Ive and Altman do offer clues about the new device. They show OpenAI moving toward a device that avoids the bulk and sensory load of AR and VR headsets and instead leans into a lighter, more seamless form. The approach contrasts with Meta's glasses, which add visual overlays and require users to stay within a defined display area. OpenAI appears to be taking the opposite path by removing visual hardware altogether and centering the experience on simplicity, ambient awareness and a nearly invisible interface.