OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman and Jony Ive Collaborate on AI Hardware, Seek Investment

TapTechNews September 22nd news, there were rumors in April this year that OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman, together with former Apple design director Jony Ive, was collaborating to design an AI hardware for individuals and is currently seeking external investment.

Regarding this, Ive himself confirmed this in an article in The New York Times on September 21st.

It is reported that Ive got to know Altman through Airbnb's CEO Brian Chesky, and the project is funded by Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs' (Jobs' widow) company Emerson Collective.

It is reported that by the end of this year, the new company may raise 1 billion US dollars (TapTechNews note: currently about 7.055 billion Chinese yuan). But the report doesn't mention SoftBank's CEO Masayoshi Son, who was rumored to have invested 1 billion US dollars in the project last year.

The project currently has only 10 employees, but including Tang Tan and Evans Hankey, who are two key people who developed the iPhone together with Ive. As for what the product itself is, there were rumors last year that it was inspired by touchscreen technology and the first-generation iPhone, but this news has not been confirmed for now.

Earlier this month, Ive designed a modular jacket for the Italian luxury brand Moncler, and the highlight is a brand new, super-clever magnetic buckle.

In addition, there are also rumors that Ive will be in charge of the design of Ferrari's first electric car.