OpenAI CEO Hints at Dedicated Generative AI Device
Development Underway with Former Apple Designer
US Startup Humane's 'AI Pin' Falls Short of Market Expectations
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, announced plans to develop a 'dedicated device for generative artificial intelligence (AI),' drawing attention to what form this new device might take.
In an interview with Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the 3rd, Altman revealed that he is working on a new AI device that can be operated by voice. Once released, this device is expected to allow users to interact naturally in everyday conversations without typing text manually with their fingers, enabling the use of AI chatbot or agent functions seamlessly.
Altman’s motivation for creating a new device stems from the fact that users have so far relied on devices and operating systems (OS) made by big tech companies like Apple and Google to access ChatGPT services. His strategy is to move beyond smartphones and develop a device that maximizes the use of generative AI, expanding from software into the hardware market.
Altman is reportedly collaborating with Jony Ive, former Chief Design Officer (CDO) of Apple, and has secured up to $1 billion in investment from SoftBank to develop the new device. Ive, who founded the design startup LoveFrom, led the development of the Apple Watch. After leaving Apple in 2019, he continued to collaborate with Apple through LoveFrom until the two parties agreed to end their business relationship in 2022.
When Altman unveiled ChatGPT-4o last May, he posted “her” on his social media, evoking the movie Her, in which the protagonist shares emotions with an AI. In that film, the protagonist is also seen using a dedicated AI device.
There are various opinions on what form the device should take, but the common factor is that it operates based on voice. Instead of typing text manually with fingers, users interact naturally in everyday conversations and utilize AI chatbot or agent functions.
Earlier, the U.S.-based AI device startup Humane introduced an attachable smart device called the 'AI Pin' at the end of 2023. Humane received investments not only from Altman but also from domestic and international companies such as SK Networks ($22 million) to develop the AI Pin. However, it has been criticized for lacking completeness and not serving as a smartphone alternative, and Humane is currently putting the product on the market.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, believes that smart glasses are the ideal form for AI devices. He argues that smart glasses can understand what users see and hear, enabling them to perform functions necessary for daily life. Meta announced that its Ray-Ban smart glasses surpassed one million units sold last year.
Additionally, the industry anticipates that various forms of dedicated AI devices are possible, including ▲ AI speakers ▲ wearable devices such as smartwatches ▲ home helper robots ▲ 3D holographic displays, among others.
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