What you need to know
- Reports indicate that Apple's former Chief Design Officer, Jony Ive, and OpenAI are in talks that could lead to the development of an "iPhone of artificial intelligence."
- Both parties aim to provide users with a “more natural and intuitive experience” when interacting with AI via the device.
- Sources revealed that the idea is attracting interest among investors, Softbank's CEO, Masayoshi Son, has already committed a large investment in funding to the tune of over $1 billion.
- Son is pushing for both parties to use Arm's services in the development of the new entry, where he has a stake of 90 percent in the company.
As an iPhone user, I've extremely been underwhelmed by Apple's releases in the past few years. Besides a bump in a few specs, including the screen display, slight camera improvements, and perhaps the Dynamic Island, Apple has literally been reproducing the same phone each year under a different name, in my opinion.
According to reports spotted by The Verge, Apple's former Chief Design Officer, Jony Ive, is reportedly in deliberations with OpenAI, which could result in the birth of what sources familiar with the deal are referring to as an “iPhone of artificial intelligence.”
If both parties decide to forge ahead with this plan, this would be OpenAI's debut in consumer devices. A report by Financial Times indicated that OpenAI's Sam Altman will leverage Jony Ive's skillset and that of his firm, LoveFrom, to develop the futuristic device.
The sources further disclosed that Softbank's CEO, Masayoshi Son, has shown interest in this new deal and has already committed over $1 billion in funding. But for this quid, the CEO is pushing for both parties to consider Arm once this idea transitions to the development and design phase. It is worth noting that Son holds a 90 percent stake, which explains why he is inclined towards Arm.
As highlighted by sources familiar with the plan, both Altman and Ive's focus with this device will majorly be on providing a “more natural and intuitive user experience.”
In the past, Ive has openly expressed his concern over the addictive nature of smartphones and how companies should take control of the situation before it spirals out of control.
That said, if this idea comes to fruition and moves to the development phase, Ive will likely implement strategies to mitigate these issues with Altman's help. He's shown significant strides through his investments in Humane (a startup run by former Apple employees that develops AI-powered wearable devices). It is Humane's hope that these wearables will one day replace smartphones.
Details regarding the deal are slim, but sources have confirmed that the discussions between both parties are indeed serious.
A new day for "iPhone users"
Apple plays it safe when launching a new line of iPhones, unlike its competitors, Samsung and Google. While impressive, the recently announced iPhone 15 lineup is reminiscent of the 14 lineup.
It's quite refreshing, even if no confirmation has been issued regarding the development of the "new iPhone" just to think of what the future could look like. In the past few months, we've seen AI hit new highs and tap into new opportunities no one thought could be explored.
Do you think this new device will be able to take on iPhone's supremacy? Share your thoughts with us below.
