OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reveals that the company’s upcoming product, developed in collaboration with Jony Ive, aims to offer a more peaceful and calm experience compared to current devices like the iPhone.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently shared insights about the company’s forthcoming product, which he describes as simple yet transformative. “When people see it, they say, ‘that’s it?… It’s so simple,’” he remarked, hinting at the device’s minimalist design.
This innovative product is a collaboration between Altman and Jony Ive, the former chief designer at Apple. While details remain scarce, it is rumored to be a “screenless” and pocket-sized device, marking OpenAI’s first foray into hardware following its acquisition of Ive’s company, io, earlier this year.
During an interview at Emerson Collective’s 9th annual Demo Day in San Francisco, Altman and Ive elaborated on their vision for the device. The discussion was led by Laurene Powell Jobs, who facilitated a conversation about the product’s intended “vibe.” Altman drew a parallel between this new offering and the iPhone, which he referred to as the “crowning achievement of consumer products” to date. He noted that his life can be distinctly categorized into the periods before and after the iPhone’s introduction.
However, Altman expressed concerns about the distractions that modern technologies often bring. He likened the experience of using current devices to navigating through Times Square, filled with overwhelming stimuli. “When I use current devices or most applications, I 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…people bumping into me, like noise is going off, and it’s an unsettling thing,” he explained. “I don’t think it’s making any of our lives peaceful and calm and just letting us focus on our stuff.”
In contrast, Altman envisions the upcoming device as a tool that promotes tranquility. He described its “vibe” as akin to “sitting in the most beautiful cabin by a lake and in the mountains and sort of just enjoying the peace and calm.”
Furthermore, Altman emphasized the device’s capability to filter information for users, allowing them to trust the AI to manage tasks over extended periods. He highlighted the importance of contextual awareness, suggesting that the device would know the optimal moments to present information and request user input. “You trust it over time, and it does have just this incredible contextual awareness of your whole life,” he noted.
Jony Ive also contributed to the discussion, indicating that the device is expected to launch within the next two years. “I love solutions that teeter on appearing almost naive in their simplicity,” he stated. “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.”
As anticipation builds for this innovative product, both Altman and Ive are focused on creating a device that not only simplifies user interaction but also enhances overall well-being in a technology-saturated world.
Source: Original article