OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has shared new insights into the company’s first hardware product, created in partnership with former Apple design icon Jony Ive. Although OpenAI has kept the device largely under wraps, TechCrunch has reported that it is expected to be “screenless” and small enough to fit in a pocket.
Altman and Ive spoke about the project during a conversation with entrepreneur Laurene Powell Jobs at VC firm Emerson Collective’s 9th annual Demo Day in San Francisco. Altman said he believes people will be struck by how understated the device appears, noting, “When people see it, they say, ‘that’s it?… It’s so simple’.”
Back in May, when OpenAI announced its $6.5 billion acquisition of Ive’s design company io, Altman mentioned that a prototype was already ready. Yet, progress has not been smooth. The Financial Times reported last month that the portable AI device has run into technical problems on its way to launch.
Although neither OpenAI nor Ive revealed detailed specifications, both discussed the feel and philosophy behind the device, which they described through its “vibe”, according to TechCrunch.
Altman likened the device to the iPhone, calling Apple’s handset the “crowning achievement of consumer products”.
Ive also confirmed at the event that the device is expected to reach the market in two years.
Altman was critical of the current generation of devices and apps, and argued that modern technology overwhelms rather than assists. He described the experience of using today’s smartphones and software as chaotic: “When I use current devices or most applications, I feel like I am walking through Times Square in New York and constantly dealing with all the little indignities along the way — flashing lights in my face… people bumping into me, like noise is going off, and it’s an unsettling thing.”
He contrasted this with the atmosphere he wants the new AI device to evoke. According to Altman, the intended experience feels more like relaxing in a “beautiful cabin by a lake and the mountains” — quiet, calm, and free from unnecessary noise or interruptions.
The vision, he explained, is for the device to act as a trusted long-term helper, able to filter out distractions while still providing important information. It should also know the right moment to share information or ask the user for something, and when to stay silent. Altman added, “You trust it over time, and it does have just this incredible contextual awareness of your whole life.”
Altman and Ive spoke about the project during a conversation with entrepreneur Laurene Powell Jobs at VC firm Emerson Collective’s 9th annual Demo Day in San Francisco. Altman said he believes people will be struck by how understated the device appears, noting, “When people see it, they say, ‘that’s it?… It’s so simple’.”
Back in May, when OpenAI announced its $6.5 billion acquisition of Ive’s design company io, Altman mentioned that a prototype was already ready. Yet, progress has not been smooth. The Financial Times reported last month that the portable AI device has run into technical problems on its way to launch.
Although neither OpenAI nor Ive revealed detailed specifications, both discussed the feel and philosophy behind the device, which they described through its “vibe”, according to TechCrunch.
Altman likened the device to the iPhone, calling Apple’s handset the “crowning achievement of consumer products”.
Ive also confirmed at the event that the device is expected to reach the market in two years.
Altman was critical of the current generation of devices and apps, and argued that modern technology overwhelms rather than assists. He described the experience of using today’s smartphones and software as chaotic: “When I use current devices or most applications, I feel like I am walking through Times Square in New York and constantly dealing with all the little indignities along the way — flashing lights in my face… people bumping into me, like noise is going off, and it’s an unsettling thing.”
He contrasted this with the atmosphere he wants the new AI device to evoke. According to Altman, the intended experience feels more like relaxing in a “beautiful cabin by a lake and the mountains” — quiet, calm, and free from unnecessary noise or interruptions.
The vision, he explained, is for the device to act as a trusted long-term helper, able to filter out distractions while still providing important information. It should also know the right moment to share information or ask the user for something, and when to stay silent. Altman added, “You trust it over time, and it does have just this incredible contextual awareness of your whole life.”
