OpenAI and Jony Ive's mysterious AI machine will in all probability suck (however it'll look cool)

Abstract

Altman and Ive are collaborating on an AI machine that can enter mass manufacturing by 2027.
The machine is not a smartphone, glasses, or a standard wearable.
{Hardware}-based AI has but to click on with shoppers (identical to present AI platforms).

The AI-powered Humane Pin is the definition of a bust and Rabbit’s R1 did not make the splash the corporate hoped it might. It is nearly like devoted AI {hardware} units do not make sense, proper? That is a minimum of partially as a result of AI itself is not completely as helpful as tech giants intention for it to be (a minimum of not but).

That hasn’t stopped OpenAI’s Sam Altman from buying Jony Ive’s io AI startup for $6.5 billion, although — full with cute pictures of the pair embracing each other within the announcement. Now that the mud has settled, as is commonly the case with the tech business, the rumor mill has kicked into excessive gear relating to what io might be engaged on.

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What are Altman and Ive cooking up?

To this point, the gadget sounds strikingly acquainted…

In keeping with Ming-Chi Kuo (by way of 9to5Mac), a notable Apple leaker and analyst, mass manufacturing of no matter this machine is will not begin till 2027, with meeting and delivery being dealt with exterior of China to keep away from potential geopolitical pitfalls. Because of The Wall Street Journal, we additionally know that OpenAI and Ive plan to ship a hefty 100 million models of no matter this AI-powered machine is. This similar report additionally confirmed that opposite to what some anticipated, the mysterious AI {hardware} is not a smartphone or good glasses.

To this point, nothing has change into that killer function that hooks shoppers, and it is unlikely a slickly designed gadget from Ive will change that.

So what’s it then? In keeping with Kuo, it is as “compact and stylish as an iPod Shuffle” and barely larger than Humane’s ill-fated AI Pin. Kuo goes on to say that the machine shall be worn across the consumer’s neck. This sounds loads like a necklace-take on the Humane Pin or the Rabbit R1, two AI devices Jony Ive just lately threw shade at in a Bloomberg interview the place he referred to as them “unhealthy merchandise.” Ive is clearly assured in no matter io is engaged on, although it is unclear what kind of capabilities it’s going to supply.

I like wacky devices as a lot as anybody, however I do not see this working — even with Ive’s design prowess on the helm. Tech giants like Apple, Google, and Microsoft are nonetheless throwing something and all the things on the wall on the subject of AI. Nonetheless, to this point, nothing has turned out to be that killer function that hooks shoppers, and it is unlikely a slickly designed gadget from Ive will change that if it is not way more succesful than the Humane Pin on each the {hardware} and software program aspect — particularly once we all nonetheless have smartphones in our pockets.