“They hope to create a more natural and intuitive user experience for interacting with AI, in the way that the iPhone’s innovations in touchscreen computing unleashed the mass-market potential of the mobile internet.”
– Matthew Garrahan, Tim Bradshaw, Madhumita Murgia, and Kana Inagaki
The FT reports three significant parties are talking about an AI-based consumer device that is less reliant on screens. Sir Jony Ive, the former Apple design chief, is said to be in talks with OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, and Softbank’s Masayoshi Son, who has backed many Silicon Valley startups.
A deal could take several months to crystallize, says FT, and any resulting product could be years after that.
OpenAI and Jony Ive in talks to raise $1bn from SoftBank for AI device venture | FT | September 28, 2023 | by Matthew Garrahan, Tim Bradshaw, Madhumita Murgia, and Kana Inagaki