Court filings in a trademark dispute between OpenAI, Jony Ive's io, and the Google-backed startup iyO reveal new details about their work on an AI hardware device. OpenAI and io have been r…
Court filings in a trademark dispute between OpenAI, Jony Ive's io, and the Google-backed startup iyO reveal new details about their work on an AI hardware device. OpenAI and io have been researching in-ear hardware, purchasing at least 30 headphone sets to explore the market. Executives from both companies met with iyO's leadership to demo their in-ear technology, but the filings suggest that OpenAI and io's first device might not be an in-ear product or a wearable device.
Despite the research into in-ear products, io's chief hardware officer, Tang Tan, stated the prototype mentioned by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is not an in-ear or wearable device, and the product is at least a year away from being advertised or sold. OpenAI has explored various device types, including desktop, mobile, wireless, and wearable options.
The form factor of the first hardware device remains largely unknown, with Altman mentioning a "family" of AI devices and Ive highlighting the captivating nature of io's prototype. The filings also detail meetings between OpenAI, io, and iyO executives. OpenAI's VP of Product and io's Tan met with iyO's CEO to learn about their in-ear product, but the demonstrations were unsuccessful.
iyO's CEO attempted to foster a deeper relationship with OpenAI, proposing a developer kit, investment, and even a company sale, all of which Tan declined. The filings suggest that OpenAI is exploring different form factors, and it seems to be more than a year away from selling its first hardware device.