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Thanks to a related trademark lawsuit, we know what OpenAI and Jony Ive’s first AI device won’t be.
In recent court documents filed this month, executives from io, the consumer hardware team that OpenAI acquired from Jony Ive’s design studio for $6.5 billion, stated that the initial product they plan to launch will not be an “in-ear device” or a “wearable.” Furthermore, they mentioned that this AI device is not expected to be released until at least 2026.
Tang Tan, io’s chief hardware officer and former Apple design leader, indicated in a declaration dated June 16th that the prototype mentioned by Sam Altman in a video is still at least a year away from becoming available for purchase. He added, “Its design has yet to be finalized, but it will not be an in-ear or wearable device.”
According to OpenAI’s June 12th response to Iyo’s lawsuit, “For a considerable time following its establishment, io assessed the current commercial products and engaged in prototype development, considering a wide array of form factors, including desktop-based and mobile, wireless and wired, wearable and portable formats.” These early initiatives led io to acquire a diverse range of earbuds, hearing aids, and at least 30 different headphone models from various companies. (TechCrunch’s Maxwell Zeff was the first to report on the court documents.)
“thanks but im working on something competitive so will respectfully pass!”
While Tan’s declaration states that io’s first piece of hardware won’t be an “in-ear device,” it’s clear from the evidence submitted in the case that io and OpenAI have considered the category. In one email from late March, an io employee named Marwan Rammah told Tang that they should consider buying 3D scans of human ears “as a helpful starting point on ergonomics and HF.” And in another email earlier that month, Altman responded to Iyo’s offer to personally invest in the company by writing: “thanks but im working on something competitive so will respectfully pass!”