Jony Ive and Sam Altman discuss potential AI hardware

Former Apple design chief, Jony Ive, and OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, have reportedly been in discussions about the development of a new artificial intelligence hardware device, according to The Information.

While it is still unclear what form this device might take and whether it will be realized, the two innovators have been considering ideas for new hardware designed for the age of artificial intelligence for a number of years.

Sources also revealed that Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank, has been involved in parts of these discussions, though his continued involvement is uncertain. OpenAI and SoftBank have not officially commented on the matter, and Jony Ive and his design firm, LoveFrom, have remained silent as well.

Jony Ive is renowned for his design contributions at Apple, including iconic products like the iMac and iPhone. After departing from Apple in 2019, he co-founded LoveFrom, a creative collective serving clients like Airbnb and Ferrari. At the same time OpenAI has attracted significant attention and investment from tech giants like Microsoft and Alphabet for its advancements in AI technology.