6 ms·

Jony Ive and OpenAI’s Altman reportedly collaborating on mysterious AI device

61 points by mfiguiere 3y ago

jordancode 3y ago
Very exciting. This must be a smart speaker right?
- babypuncher 3y ago
  Jony Ive is involved, so it will probably cost $1,500 and require you to turn it upside down to charge it. But damn if it doesn't look sexy sitting on your desk...
  - raverbashing 3y ago
    It will also forego usability for appearance. Who needs a keyboard to type anyway...
    - babypuncher 3y ago
      I'm still not convinced The Onion's Macbook Wheel wasn't a real thing he tried to convince Jobs to make.
  - karim79 3y ago
    Indeed, and the buttons on it (power, mic on/off, volume up/down etc) will start failing or doubling the input as soon as the tiniest bit of dust breaches the gaps, thanks to the latest-and-greatest Tiger Moth mechanism which is designed for the perception of greater button travel while reducing the thickness of said buttons by 0.00000000017%.
    - ryandrake 3y ago
      And the cables/cords will all look like this[1] after a month of use because proper strain relief is for "traditional companies." 1: https://www.businessinsider.in/tips-for-fixing-an-iphone-or-ipad-charger-that-appears-to-be-broken-or-frayed/articleshow/69996433.cms https://www.businessinsider.in/tips-for-fixing-an-iphone-or-...
- ignoramous 3y ago
  I bet it'll be a smartphone that has front cameras to fingerprint your retina and back cameras to track everyone else's. In about half a decade, Zuck will show up with £100b to acquire it. In all seriousness, Sam has been on record that smartphones indirectly contribute to information/tech addiction, and that lack of digital well-being is a global epidemic [0]. May be that. Surely, that? [0] https://blog.samaltman.com/the-merge https://blog.samaltman.com/the-merge
  - lyapunova 3y ago
    Why is it so painfully obvious that people with position piece blog posts do so to distance themselves or provide an alibi for the things they plan to directly contradict in the future?
  - lovemenot 3y ago
    A personal verification dongle / hand-held Orb. Lipstick-sized retina scanner (selfies only). No screen, app store or other standard smart-phone features. Secure local network interface to World Coin smart-phone app. Months-long battery life. Open spec h/w and OSS. Low cost, high-volume production.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
skilled 3y ago
> One possibility is OpenAI is building its own operating system... Imagine an AI-native operating system that could generate apps in real-time based on what it believes its user needs, or one that listens to nearby conversations and automatically pulls up relevant information for its user. I’m imagining that right now… it’s not looking good.
- carlthrowaway 3y ago
  Carl leaned back in his leather chair, a cup of steaming chamomile tea beside him. The article he'd just read about Jony Ive and Sam Altman's possible collaboration on an AI device floated around in his mind. He looked out at the bustling city through the tall windows of his penthouse office, pondering the future. "In a world increasingly reliant on instant information and instant solutions," he mused aloud, "it isn't far-fetched to believe that AI will not only supplement, but also redefine our interactions. I imagine a device - not necessarily a phone in the traditional sense - but an omnipresent companion, molding itself seamlessly into our daily lives." He imagined a slim, sleek device, devoid of buttons. Its surface would be smooth, reflective, giving off a gentle glow. It would be adaptive and intuitive, learning and understanding its user's preferences and habits. No longer would people have to spend time inputting data or even searching for answers. The device would provide not just answers but also anticipate needs, offering solutions before the user even recognized a problem. "Imagine," Carl whispered, "walking into a room and the device automatically adjusts the lighting based on your mood, perhaps playing soft ambient music in the background. And as you work, it sifts through documents, instantly pulling up relevant information, or perhaps even creating presentations on-the-fly, guided only by your voice or thoughts." He saw the potential for deeper human connection. With mundane tasks outsourced to the AI, people would have more time to engage in meaningful interactions, fostering relationships, and pursuing passions. But Carl also recognized potential challenges. The blurring line between man and machine could bring about questions of privacy, dependence, and even identity. "We are on the brink of an era where AI won't just assist but will become an extension of ourselves," he thought. He envisioned people discussing ideas with their AI, debating, learning, and growing together. This AI wouldn't be just a tool; it would be a partner. However, Carl was also wary. Such power in the hands of a device meant it would be a beacon for hackers and those with malicious intent. Moreover, the ethical considerations of creating an AI so deeply integrated into human life would be immense. Drawing a deep breath, Carl looked down at his own smartphone. "A relic," he chuckled. "In a decade or two, we'll look at these devices as we do now with rotary phones or fax machines." He took a sip of his tea, now lukewarm. "It's an exciting future," he whispered. "But one we need to step into with caution and consciousness." His assistant, a traditional machine, beeped, reminding him of his next meeting. Carl smiled, looking forward to the day his meetings would be scheduled, organized, and even anticipated by an AI that truly understood him.
TheAlchemist 3y ago
And the timing of this rumor, which the article admits has absolutely no specifics nor leg to stand on, has certainly nothing to do with their attempt to raise funds at a $90 billion valuation. I can't help thinking that we're in for another 'AI winter' after so much hype with Tesla, Nvidia and chatGPT.
- twoodfin 3y ago
  I’d say more like the dot com-era Linux bubble: Linux did change the world and created an insane amount of economic value, but did not spawn a wave of sustainable Linux-centered megacorps.
- vernon99 3y ago
  Very unlikely, this time it’s supported by solid revenue/growth, and even though 50x multiple feels like a lot, the opportunity here is also enormous.
pcblues 3y ago
An ever-changing UI has an enormous and unaddressed cost on users. Continual re-learning without choice in order to achieve the same tasks as always. I imagine this will be accelerated with constantly renewed AI-generated app experiences. If a company could freeze the UI for a person once they have mastered it for what they want to do with it without sacrificing security, etc. (easy if they separate the concerns properly) I'd buy the product. I'd almost pay a subscription for them to keep it the same, like how I pay youtube a subscription to remove their ads.
tpmx 3y ago
I'm imagining a very elaborate microphone/speaker/camera/display device. Outer shell made using some exotic new ceramics process because glass, aluminum and titanium are all so 2023. Will never be mass-produced. Or textile. I could imagine them going for something cuddly to balance out that creepy AI vibe.
jmcphers 3y ago
Prediction based on the history of these two luminaries of the industry: a beautiful, featureless orb that uses AI to autonomously scan your eyeballs and enroll you in crypto scams[1]. [1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/scrutiny-iris-scanning-crypto-project-worldcoin-grows-2023-09-01/ https://www.reuters.com/technology/scrutiny-iris-scanning-cr...
- Apocryphon 3y ago
  They're going to build the Nexus Q
- vasco 3y ago
  It will use a special charging cable and tell you that as an orb it is not capable of answering you why.
- fotcorn 3y ago
  And you can't scan eyeballs while it's charging.
anigbrowl 3y ago
It will be a simple sphere - an orb, if you will - and by simply waving one's hands around it in a mysterious yet compelling fashion, wondrous visions will appear. Comes with a purple velvet tablecloth.
- simondotau 3y ago
  Signs point to yes.
sova 3y ago
I wonder if it would be a human-ish/esque/like interface to the MMLM? At Japanese Complete, we recently announced such a project to become available once the MMLMs are more dialed in. I think this is a natural step for the big players. We have our curriculum as an edge, so optimistically beat featurization. Announcement: https://japanesecomplete.com/articles/?p=1574 https://japanesecomplete.com/articles/?p=1574
mise_en_place 3y ago
This is a big mistake. Software companies should not pivot into HW without understanding what a large undertaking that is.
- tempodox 3y ago
  Let them crash and burn.
sova 3y ago
Why wait for news when we can settle for gossip and speculation /s
- ilaksh 3y ago
  Its hilarious and kind of stupid that this empty rumour has so much traction. I think it just demonstrates that there is a lot of excitement about the possibilities of AI and also of new gadgets. It's like, imagine the most awesome gadget ever, now multiply times REAL AI. How can that _not_ be amazing? Whatever it is?? Heh. But it's also such a fun and engaging exercise to think how AI could be embedded in a new device that you use every day. It might be really good marketing, whether it was intended that way or not. People can just project whatever they are enthusiastic about onto it. They may be disappointed at the end, but that might come after they have already bought it.
  - sova 3y ago
    It's true, we have to rethink the fundamental interface; some blend of aesthetics like vinyl and record players similar to how Steve Jobs incorporated into the early iPod would be interested to keep. Aesthetic / UX wisdom pieces from the past, with the infinite canvas of the 90s (the web), to the modern digital sculpture bendable paper interface of the near-Now, some delightful advancements to keep our heads turning like the feathers of a peacock.
lifechoseme123 3y ago
[flagged]
mellosouls 3y ago
This feels like a contemporary pop idol at the top of their game releasing a record with one of their heroes who used to be awesome 30 years ago. Great for marketing, but not always so much for creative brilliance.
- noman-land 3y ago
  The Matchbox 20 and Santana song.
  - blangk 3y ago
    Man, it's a hot one
lyapunova 3y ago
Why is it that tech brand names (including people like Altman) have just become so cursed? I feel like society at large is tired. Everyone buys the thing but basically does it because it's required to continue to play the game - not because it brings them joy.
- noman-land 3y ago
  What game is it that is required? Opting out of bullshit social pressures is a step toward psychological freedom.
  - hashtag-til 3y ago
    Refreshing to see comment like this. Pro tip: ditch also Twitter/X, Insta, Facebook, TikTok and all that crap.
    - saulpw 3y ago
      Okay now imagine you're a plumber. How are you going to advertise your services to get business? Put an ad in the Yellow Pages? Post flyers around the neighborhood? Make an ad on Craigslist? It's easy to say "ditch all that crap" when you have other people in your corporation who use all that crap so you can just show up at your job and do your work. But the crap is still there, becoming a necessary tool for functioning in society, one impressionable teenager at a time.
      - otteromkram 3y ago
        Fun fact: Business and personal accounts don't have to be the same thing.
        saulpw 3y ago
        Sure. But this is what is meant by "required to play the game". And it's also happening on a personal level--witness the number of events I haven't been invited to because I'm not on Facebook.
dutchbrit 3y ago
Had to think of Silicon Valley: https://youtu.be/_GtF_zpJc_w?si=hgPEBLomzkpEA3ZW https://youtu.be/_GtF_zpJc_w?si=hgPEBLomzkpEA3ZW
cs702 3y ago
Whatever it turns out to be, it will surely be competition for Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. I'd call it the OpenAI Genie.
tonetheman 3y ago
[dead]
tactiledactyl 3y ago
Wonder if it's a knowledge navigator type thing you hang around your neck, or maybe mount on your shoulder, that whispers in your ear and projects visuals onto your open palm
sacnoradhq 3y ago
Prayer hands emoji that it's a personal cloud, semi-OSS, Alexa killer with wide IoT support. Could also be another Siri with intent to sell to MAA_G. Lots of potential personal agent plays possible now on consumer price point AI accelerated hardware.
thelastgallon 3y ago
"Adding a twist to the saga is the involvement of Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Japanese multinational investment company SoftBank. Son, who has invested more than $140 billion into AI-related startups, has also reportedly been in talks with Ive and Altman about the idea." I can only speculate, they are going after the only market remaining that has 10 trillion potential[1] which current incumbents won't enter into: Something like Autoblow AI, but it will blow your mind as well with its design. [1]Masayoshi Son is famous for imagining 10T companies, such as wework: https://www.axios.com/2021/08/07/10-trillion-mirage-wework-book https://www.axios.com/2021/08/07/10-trillion-mirage-wework-b...
tempodox 3y ago
Jony Ive in cahoots with that mercenary? Yikes.
imchillyb 3y ago
> Imagine an AI-native operating system that could generate apps in real-time We call this: Malware, Spyware, Pen Testing, Red-Team… This is all bad news, not a bright light in the sky, but a nuclear detonation overhead.

61 points by mfiguiere 3y ago

jordancode 3y ago

Very exciting. This must be a smart speaker right?

babypuncher 3y ago
Jony Ive is involved, so it will probably cost $1,500 and require you to turn it upside down to charge it. But damn if it doesn't look sexy sitting on your desk...
- raverbashing 3y ago
  It will also forego usability for appearance. Who needs a keyboard to type anyway...
  - babypuncher 3y ago
    I'm still not convinced The Onion's Macbook Wheel wasn't a real thing he tried to convince Jobs to make.
- karim79 3y ago
  Indeed, and the buttons on it (power, mic on/off, volume up/down etc) will start failing or doubling the input as soon as the tiniest bit of dust breaches the gaps, thanks to the latest-and-greatest Tiger Moth mechanism which is designed for the perception of greater button travel while reducing the thickness of said buttons by 0.00000000017%.
  - ryandrake 3y ago
    And the cables/cords will all look like this[1] after a month of use because proper strain relief is for "traditional companies." 1: https://www.businessinsider.in/tips-for-fixing-an-iphone-or-ipad-charger-that-appears-to-be-broken-or-frayed/articleshow/69996433.cms https://www.businessinsider.in/tips-for-fixing-an-iphone-or-...
ignoramous 3y ago
I bet it'll be a smartphone that has front cameras to fingerprint your retina and back cameras to track everyone else's. In about half a decade, Zuck will show up with £100b to acquire it. In all seriousness, Sam has been on record that smartphones indirectly contribute to information/tech addiction, and that lack of digital well-being is a global epidemic [0]. May be that. Surely, that? [0] https://blog.samaltman.com/the-merge https://blog.samaltman.com/the-merge
- lyapunova 3y ago
  Why is it so painfully obvious that people with position piece blog posts do so to distance themselves or provide an alibi for the things they plan to directly contradict in the future?
- lovemenot 3y ago
  A personal verification dongle / hand-held Orb. Lipstick-sized retina scanner (selfies only). No screen, app store or other standard smart-phone features. Secure local network interface to World Coin smart-phone app. Months-long battery life. Open spec h/w and OSS. Low cost, high-volume production.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

skilled 3y ago

> One possibility is OpenAI is building its own operating system... Imagine an AI-native operating system that could generate apps in real-time based on what it believes its user needs, or one that listens to nearby conversations and automatically pulls up relevant information for its user. I’m imagining that right now… it’s not looking good.

carlthrowaway 3y ago
Carl leaned back in his leather chair, a cup of steaming chamomile tea beside him. The article he'd just read about Jony Ive and Sam Altman's possible collaboration on an AI device floated around in his mind. He looked out at the bustling city through the tall windows of his penthouse office, pondering the future. "In a world increasingly reliant on instant information and instant solutions," he mused aloud, "it isn't far-fetched to believe that AI will not only supplement, but also redefine our interactions. I imagine a device - not necessarily a phone in the traditional sense - but an omnipresent companion, molding itself seamlessly into our daily lives." He imagined a slim, sleek device, devoid of buttons. Its surface would be smooth, reflective, giving off a gentle glow. It would be adaptive and intuitive, learning and understanding its user's preferences and habits. No longer would people have to spend time inputting data or even searching for answers. The device would provide not just answers but also anticipate needs, offering solutions before the user even recognized a problem. "Imagine," Carl whispered, "walking into a room and the device automatically adjusts the lighting based on your mood, perhaps playing soft ambient music in the background. And as you work, it sifts through documents, instantly pulling up relevant information, or perhaps even creating presentations on-the-fly, guided only by your voice or thoughts." He saw the potential for deeper human connection. With mundane tasks outsourced to the AI, people would have more time to engage in meaningful interactions, fostering relationships, and pursuing passions. But Carl also recognized potential challenges. The blurring line between man and machine could bring about questions of privacy, dependence, and even identity. "We are on the brink of an era where AI won't just assist but will become an extension of ourselves," he thought. He envisioned people discussing ideas with their AI, debating, learning, and growing together. This AI wouldn't be just a tool; it would be a partner. However, Carl was also wary. Such power in the hands of a device meant it would be a beacon for hackers and those with malicious intent. Moreover, the ethical considerations of creating an AI so deeply integrated into human life would be immense. Drawing a deep breath, Carl looked down at his own smartphone. "A relic," he chuckled. "In a decade or two, we'll look at these devices as we do now with rotary phones or fax machines." He took a sip of his tea, now lukewarm. "It's an exciting future," he whispered. "But one we need to step into with caution and consciousness." His assistant, a traditional machine, beeped, reminding him of his next meeting. Carl smiled, looking forward to the day his meetings would be scheduled, organized, and even anticipated by an AI that truly understood him.

TheAlchemist 3y ago

And the timing of this rumor, which the article admits has absolutely no specifics nor leg to stand on, has certainly nothing to do with their attempt to raise funds at a $90 billion valuation. I can't help thinking that we're in for another 'AI winter' after so much hype with Tesla, Nvidia and chatGPT.

twoodfin 3y ago
I’d say more like the dot com-era Linux bubble: Linux did change the world and created an insane amount of economic value, but did not spawn a wave of sustainable Linux-centered megacorps.
vernon99 3y ago
Very unlikely, this time it’s supported by solid revenue/growth, and even though 50x multiple feels like a lot, the opportunity here is also enormous.

pcblues 3y ago

An ever-changing UI has an enormous and unaddressed cost on users. Continual re-learning without choice in order to achieve the same tasks as always. I imagine this will be accelerated with constantly renewed AI-generated app experiences. If a company could freeze the UI for a person once they have mastered it for what they want to do with it without sacrificing security, etc. (easy if they separate the concerns properly) I'd buy the product. I'd almost pay a subscription for them to keep it the same, like how I pay youtube a subscription to remove their ads.

tpmx 3y ago

I'm imagining a very elaborate microphone/speaker/camera/display device. Outer shell made using some exotic new ceramics process because glass, aluminum and titanium are all so 2023. Will never be mass-produced. Or textile. I could imagine them going for something cuddly to balance out that creepy AI vibe.

jmcphers 3y ago

Prediction based on the history of these two luminaries of the industry: a beautiful, featureless orb that uses AI to autonomously scan your eyeballs and enroll you in crypto scams[1]. [1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/scrutiny-iris-scanning-crypto-project-worldcoin-grows-2023-09-01/ https://www.reuters.com/technology/scrutiny-iris-scanning-cr...

Apocryphon 3y ago
They're going to build the Nexus Q
vasco 3y ago
It will use a special charging cable and tell you that as an orb it is not capable of answering you why.
fotcorn 3y ago
And you can't scan eyeballs while it's charging.

anigbrowl 3y ago

It will be a simple sphere - an orb, if you will - and by simply waving one's hands around it in a mysterious yet compelling fashion, wondrous visions will appear. Comes with a purple velvet tablecloth.

simondotau 3y ago
Signs point to yes.

sova 3y ago

I wonder if it would be a human-ish/esque/like interface to the MMLM? At Japanese Complete, we recently announced such a project to become available once the MMLMs are more dialed in. I think this is a natural step for the big players. We have our curriculum as an edge, so optimistically beat featurization. Announcement: https://japanesecomplete.com/articles/?p=1574 https://japanesecomplete.com/articles/?p=1574

mise_en_place 3y ago

This is a big mistake. Software companies should not pivot into HW without understanding what a large undertaking that is.

tempodox 3y ago
Let them crash and burn.

sova 3y ago

Why wait for news when we can settle for gossip and speculation /s

ilaksh 3y ago
Its hilarious and kind of stupid that this empty rumour has so much traction. I think it just demonstrates that there is a lot of excitement about the possibilities of AI and also of new gadgets. It's like, imagine the most awesome gadget ever, now multiply times REAL AI. How can that _not_ be amazing? Whatever it is?? Heh. But it's also such a fun and engaging exercise to think how AI could be embedded in a new device that you use every day. It might be really good marketing, whether it was intended that way or not. People can just project whatever they are enthusiastic about onto it. They may be disappointed at the end, but that might come after they have already bought it.
- sova 3y ago
  It's true, we have to rethink the fundamental interface; some blend of aesthetics like vinyl and record players similar to how Steve Jobs incorporated into the early iPod would be interested to keep. Aesthetic / UX wisdom pieces from the past, with the infinite canvas of the 90s (the web), to the modern digital sculpture bendable paper interface of the near-Now, some delightful advancements to keep our heads turning like the feathers of a peacock.

lifechoseme123 3y ago

[flagged]

mellosouls 3y ago

This feels like a contemporary pop idol at the top of their game releasing a record with one of their heroes who used to be awesome 30 years ago. Great for marketing, but not always so much for creative brilliance.

noman-land 3y ago
The Matchbox 20 and Santana song.
- blangk 3y ago
  Man, it's a hot one

lyapunova 3y ago

Why is it that tech brand names (including people like Altman) have just become so cursed? I feel like society at large is tired. Everyone buys the thing but basically does it because it's required to continue to play the game - not because it brings them joy.

noman-land 3y ago
What game is it that is required? Opting out of bullshit social pressures is a step toward psychological freedom.
- hashtag-til 3y ago
  Refreshing to see comment like this. Pro tip: ditch also Twitter/X, Insta, Facebook, TikTok and all that crap.
  - saulpw 3y ago
    Okay now imagine you're a plumber. How are you going to advertise your services to get business? Put an ad in the Yellow Pages? Post flyers around the neighborhood? Make an ad on Craigslist? It's easy to say "ditch all that crap" when you have other people in your corporation who use all that crap so you can just show up at your job and do your work. But the crap is still there, becoming a necessary tool for functioning in society, one impressionable teenager at a time.
    - otteromkram 3y ago
      Fun fact: Business and personal accounts don't have to be the same thing.
      - saulpw 3y ago
        Sure. But this is what is meant by "required to play the game". And it's also happening on a personal level--witness the number of events I haven't been invited to because I'm not on Facebook.

dutchbrit 3y ago

Had to think of Silicon Valley: https://youtu.be/_GtF_zpJc_w?si=hgPEBLomzkpEA3ZW https://youtu.be/_GtF_zpJc_w?si=hgPEBLomzkpEA3ZW

cs702 3y ago

Whatever it turns out to be, it will surely be competition for Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. I'd call it the OpenAI Genie.

tonetheman 3y ago

[dead]

tactiledactyl 3y ago

Wonder if it's a knowledge navigator type thing you hang around your neck, or maybe mount on your shoulder, that whispers in your ear and projects visuals onto your open palm

sacnoradhq 3y ago

Prayer hands emoji that it's a personal cloud, semi-OSS, Alexa killer with wide IoT support. Could also be another Siri with intent to sell to MAA_G. Lots of potential personal agent plays possible now on consumer price point AI accelerated hardware.

thelastgallon 3y ago

"Adding a twist to the saga is the involvement of Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Japanese multinational investment company SoftBank. Son, who has invested more than $140 billion into AI-related startups, has also reportedly been in talks with Ive and Altman about the idea." I can only speculate, they are going after the only market remaining that has 10 trillion potential[1] which current incumbents won't enter into: Something like Autoblow AI, but it will blow your mind as well with its design. [1]Masayoshi Son is famous for imagining 10T companies, such as wework: https://www.axios.com/2021/08/07/10-trillion-mirage-wework-book https://www.axios.com/2021/08/07/10-trillion-mirage-wework-b...

tempodox 3y ago

Jony Ive in cahoots with that mercenary? Yikes.

imchillyb 3y ago

> Imagine an AI-native operating system that could generate apps in real-time We call this: Malware, Spyware, Pen Testing, Red-Team… This is all bad news, not a bright light in the sky, but a nuclear detonation overhead.