Jony Ive, mastermind behind iPhone design, is now working with OpenAI to build a new AI device

Apple's former top design boss, Jony Ive, has confirmed that he is now working with OpenAI to build a new AI device, which might rival the iPhone with Apple Intelligence.

In Short

• Jony Ive confirms working with OpenAI on new AI device
• Team includes ex-Apple figures Tang Tan and Evans Hankey
• Rumours suggest device to leverage generative AI

Jony Ive has confirmed that he is working with Sam Altman’s company, OpenAI, to build a new AI device. The confirmation was shared with NYT almost a year after Ive was first rumoured to be working with Altman on a possible OpenAI phone. The duo is reportedly working on a next-gen device that could redefine personal computing. While details are still scarce, the project is already causing quite a stir in the tech world, and with good reason.

Reportedly, Ive and Altman first connected through Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb. Now, with funding from Laurene Powell Jobs' Emerson Collective and Ive, they’ve embarked on what could be Ive’s most significant post-Apple project. The venture is currently small in size, with a team of only 10 employees, but it’s not lacking in talent. Joining Ive are Tang Tan and Evans Hankey, two major figures from Ive’s Apple days who worked on the iPhone. Together, they’re operating out of a sleek new 32,000-square-foot office in San Francisco, part of a $90 million real estate purchase by Ive.

While the project is still in its early stages, rumours are swirling about what this mysterious device could be. The NYT reports that discussions between Ive and Altman have centred around generative AI’s potential to power a new kind of computing device — one that can handle far more complex requests than traditional software allows. And with OpenAI’s breakthroughs in tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E, it’s not hard to imagine how AI could be at the heart of this project.

For Jony Ive, this new venture marks his biggest leap back into the tech world since his departure from Apple in 2019. While he continued consulting for Apple through LoveFrom until 2022, this new device could be his grand return to innovation. Ive, after all, has a 27-year legacy at Apple, having designed game-changing products like the iMac, iPhone, and even the Apple Park campus. Now, he’s once again looking to push the boundaries of design, but this time with AI as the engine driving his vision.

There’s a lot to be excited about here. The combination of Ive’s design genius, Tan’s hardware expertise, and Altman’s AI prowess could lead to a groundbreaking product — something that could rival the iPhone in its impact. While we’re still waiting for more concrete details, one thing is clear: the collaboration between Ive and Altman has the potential to reshape the tech landscape, just as the iPhone did in 2007.