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Hans India
14 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
OpenAI Scrubs Jony Ive Deal from Web Amid Trademark Battle with Rival AI Firm
In a sudden turn of events, OpenAI has removed all public references to its much-discussed $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive's AI hardware startup, IO Products. The move follows a legal challenge over trademark infringement by a competing firm with a similar name, stirring speculation and concern across the tech community. Over the weekend, social media users noticed the disappearance of promotional content and the official website linked to the IO Products deal. Both OpenAI and representatives for Jony Ive have since confirmed that the takedown was prompted by an ongoing trademark dispute with IYO Inc., a company also operating in the AI device space. According to Bloomberg, the case is now under judicial review. Responding to the controversy, a spokesperson for Ive called the legal complaint 'an utterly baseless complaint and we'll fight it vigorously.' The IO Products deal, officially unveiled in May, marked a pivotal shift for OpenAI—best known for its generative AI software. The partnership with Ive, the legendary former Apple designer behind iconic devices like the iPhone and iMac, aimed to bring OpenAI's first AI hardware device to market within a year. At the time of the announcement, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had predicted that the company could sell up to 100 million units of the new hardware. He even suggested the acquisition could potentially boost OpenAI's valuation by $1 trillion, stating, 'This is the biggest thing we've ever done as a company.' In a now-deleted blog post, Altman and Ive had jointly written, 'It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer and manufacture a new family of products demanded an entirely new company.' OpenAI's financial commitment to the deal included $5 billion in equity, in addition to its existing 23% stake in IO from an earlier collaboration. IO Products was incorporated in Delaware in September 2023 and later registered in California in April 2025, according to public filings. Heading the new hardware division is OpenAI executive Peter Welinder, known for pioneering work in robotics and innovative product development. The team includes experts across design, hardware, software, and manufacturing, collaborating closely with OpenAI's San Francisco-based engineering and research teams. Altman and Ive's collaboration dates back to early 2023, though the public got its first hint of an 'AI-first device' in February 2025. While specific details remain under wraps, industry watchers speculate the product could rival the Humane AI Pin or Rabbit R1, or even explore futuristic formats like smart glasses, in-car systems, or AI-integrated robots. Reflecting on the collaboration, Ive shared, 'I have a growing sense that everything I have learned over the last 30 years has led me to this moment. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an important collaboration.' Altman added his admiration for Ive's approach, saying, 'AI is an incredible technology, but great tools require work at the intersection of technology, design, and understanding people and the world. No one can do this like Jony and his team; the amount of care they put into every aspect of the process is extraordinary.' As legal proceedings continue, OpenAI's ambitious foray into hardware hangs in the balance, with stakeholders closely watching how the trademark challenge might affect the future of this high-stakes collaboration.
Mint
01-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Underdelivery: AI gadgets have been a let-down but needn't be
Where are all the artificial intelligence (AI) consumer gadgets? Even a year ago, it seemed tech companies were working to incorporate the technology into every physical device, from coffee makers to vacuum cleaners, making 'AI-powered' hardware seem like it would soon be as ubiquitous as 'battery-powered' electronics. Typically, tech conferences offer a glimmer of these futuristic toys. Not all of them end up hitting the market, but it's where we can dream a little about new pocket devices or household robots taking on a greater role in our lives. So it was a little disappointing last week at Asia's biggest artificial intelligence conference, Taiwan's Computex, to find hardly any mention of consumer-facing tech. Most keynotes focused on enterprise applications of AI, such as agents or automated manufacturing. Walking around the exhibitors' hall, the only thing that caught my eye were wireless computer mice shaped like cats. Also Read: AI as infrastructure: India must develop the right tech A few things seem to have changed. For starters, there's the reality that hardware engineering presents an entirely different set of physical challenges compared to tinkering with AI software. And a global trade war also makes it a risky time to launch a new gadget when it's unclear if consumers are interested. Companies also may be starting to pick up on the fact that while Wall Street is awash with global hype on an AI boom, it isn't exactly a selling point on Main Street. If anything, some of the executives speaking at the conference threw cold water on the next generations of these AI-first consumer products. Asustek Computer co-chief executive officer Samson Hu told Bloomberg News that it will take another year or more for AI-powered PCs to go mainstream because the technology isn't quite there yet and macroeconomic uncertainty is impacting people's spending. There have been few compelling use cases for AI PCs so far, despite the mountain of promotion. Meanwhile, the graveyard of AI hardware that was supposed to transform our lives is already growing. The Humane Ai Pin wearable device—launched last year to much hype about how it was going to replace the smartphone—got brutal reviews and turned out to be a fire hazard. The startup, run by two former Apple employees, stopped selling its Ai Pin earlier this year and was sold for parts. The Rabbit R1 assistant [a stand-alone hand-held AI assistant device] is another cautionary tale of the false promises of these gadgets. But that doesn't mean the future of AI consumer products is not on its way. OpenAI made a major announcement last week that it is working with legendary iPhone designer, Jony Ive, to launch something that takes AI into the physical realm for consumers. But even the might of OpenAI's technology and Ive's design prowess make whatever it is they have in mind a far-from-certain bet. Also Read: Dave Lee: Apple must make peace with developers for AI success There were perhaps some lessons for the future of such devices from the gathering in Taiwan. During his keynote speech, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said that AI computers are at a phase where they will require the work of outside developers to make them appeal to consumers. The iPhone, for example, didn't take off right after it was launched. But it became essential to so many people because of the myriad apps developers built on top of it that we now use to hail taxis, order food or move around new cities. 'Really, the developer ecosystem is going to make this shift to AI PCs," Amon said. He's right, and the same is true beyond just AI computers. For any revolutionary AI hardware device, especially a smartphone killer, the more that global developers lead the charge to meet peoples' needs and solve small everyday problems, the more likely they are to succeed. In this economy, maybe that doesn't mean repackaging the same old gadgets with shiny new AI labels. It means iterating and perfecting real use cases that incorporate the buzzy technology into devices and make our lives easier. And this will inevitably be a collective effort. Also Read: Can AI truly transform businesses? Yes, if adopted thoughtfully AI is already transforming our world in small ways. I find asking ChatGPT to quickly translate phrases for me while on the go a lifesaver when I need to navigate a new country. But I hardly want to shell out money to carry around a new device simply to access ChatGPT. The more the tech industry tries to slap AI onto everything and market it as a panacea for all our problems, the more I get a snake-oil salesman ick. The future of AI hardware won't come in a magical new gadget, it will be built by tackling these tasks one-by-one and not all at once. ©Bloomberg The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia tech.
Mint
28-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Consumer AI Gadgets Will Come With a Whimper, Not a Bang
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Where are all the artificial intelligence consumer gadgets? Even a year ago, it seemed tech companies were working to incorporate the technology into every physical device, from coffee makers to vacuums, making 'AI-powered' hardware seem like it would soon be as ubiquitous as 'battery-powered' electronics. Typically, tech conferences offer a glimmer of these futuristic toys. Not all of them end up hitting the market, but it's where we can dream a little about new pocket devices or household robots taking on a greater role in our lives. You may be interested in So it was a little disappointing last week at Asia's biggest artificial intelligence conference, Taiwan's Computex, to find hardly any mentions of consumer-facing tech. Most keynotes focused on enterprise applications of AI, such as agents or automated manufacturing. Walking around the exhibitors' hall, the only thing that caught my eye were wireless computer mice shaped like cats. A few things seem to have changed. For starters, there's the reality that hardware engineering presents an entirely different set of physical challenges compared to tinkering with AI software. And a global trade war also makes it a risky time to launch a new gadget when it's unclear if consumers are interested. Companies also may be starting to pick up on the fact that while Wall Street is awash with global hype on the AI boom, it isn't exactly a selling point on Main Street. If anything, some of the executives speaking at the conference threw cold water on the next generations of these AI-first consumer products. Asustek Computer Inc. co-Chief Executive Officer Samson Hu told Bloomberg News that it will take another year or more for AI-powered PCs to go mainstream because the technology isn't quite there yet and macroeconomic uncertainty is impacting people's spending. There have been few compelling use cases for AI PCs so far, despite the mountain of promotion. Meanwhile, the graveyard of AI hardware that was supposed to transform our lives is already growing. The Humane Ai Pin wearable device — launched last year to much hype about how it was going to replace the smartphone — ended up receiving brutal reviews while being a fire hazard. The startup, run by two former Apple Inc. employees, stopped selling the Ai Pin earlier this year and was sold for parts. The Rabbit R1 assistant is another cautionary tale of the false promises of these gadgets. But that doesn't mean the future of AI consumer products isn't coming. OpenAI made the major announcement last week that it is working with legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive to launch something that takes AI into the physical realm for consumers. But even the might of OpenAI's technology and Ive's design prowess make whatever it is a far from certain bet. There were perhaps some lessons for the future of such devices from the gathering in Taiwan. During his keynote speech, Qualcomm Inc. Chief Executive Officer Cristiano Amon said that AI computers are at the phase where they will require the work of outside developers to make them appeal to consumers. The iPhone, for example, didn't take off immediately after it was launched. But it became essential to so many people because of the myriad apps developers built on top of it that we now use to hail taxis, order food or move around new cities. 'Really, the developer ecosystem is going to make this shift to AI PCs,' Amon said. He's right, and the same is true beyond just AI computers. For any revolutionary AI hardware device, and especially a smartphone killer, the more that global developers lead the charge to meet peoples' needs and solve small, everyday problems, the more likely they are to succeed. In this economy, maybe that doesn't mean repackaging the same old gadgets with shiny new AI labels. It means iterating and perfecting real use cases that incorporate the buzzy technology into devices and make our lives easier. And this will inevitably be a collective effort. AI is already transforming our world in small ways. I find asking ChatGPT to quickly translate phrases for me while on the go a lifesaver when navigating a new country. But I hardly want to shell out money to carry around a new device simply to access ChatGPT. The more the tech industry tries to slap AI onto everything and market it as a panacea for all our problems, the more I get a snake-oil salesman ick. The future of AI hardware won't come in a magical new gadget, it will be built by tackling these tasks one-by-one and not all at once. More From Bloomberg Opinion: This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Catherine Thorbecke is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia tech. Previously she was a tech reporter at CNN and ABC News. More stories like this are available on
Tatler Asia
23-05-2025
- Business
- Tatler Asia
Jony Ive and Sam Altman are about to give us 'the coolest piece of technology the world has ever seen'
Learning from the past Attempts at AI-specific hardware have had a rocky start. The Humane AI Pin, a screenless wearable device launched in 2023, promised hands-free access to an AI assistant. However, it suffered from short battery life, overheating and sluggish performance tied to its cloud-based processing—ultimately falling short of expectations. The Rabbit R1, released in 2024, fared no better. Designed as a pocket-sized AI assistant with a physical scroll wheel and screen, it drew criticism for its inaccurate AI responses and inconsistent user interface. Above Rabbit Inc. CEO Jessie Lyu presenting the Rabbit R1 AI device (Photo: Rabbit Inc.) As an AI company first, OpenAI can learn from these failures and be the first to bring its products to the market using custom-designed hardware. With a world-class design team and firsthand expertise in AI software, the company is well-positioned to bridge the gap between sleek hardware and powerful intelligence. Furthermore, Ive's legacy of refining existing concepts—like turning the MP3 player into the iPod or the touchscreen phone into the iPhone—demonstrates his talent for breaking boundaries. Moreover, OpenAI has the potential to challenge Apple and Google in creating tightly integrated hardware-software ecosystems. Just as Google uses its Pixel phones to showcase Android's capabilities, OpenAI could do the same for its own models with dedicated hardware. Above Ray-Ban Meta glasses can access Meta AI's live translate and search functions when connected to a smartphone with the Meta AI app (Photo: Meta) Smart glasses and visual computing devices represent another promising area. Meta, for example, has teamed up with Ray-Ban to develop glasses that integrate real-time translation and AI-powered search. OpenAI could similarly redefine how AI is embedded in everyday experiences—especially if it controls both the interface and the intelligence behind it. With AI capabilities evolving rapidly, OpenAI's in-house hardware team may prove crucial in ensuring its next breakthroughs are matched by equally advanced, intuitive physical forms.
Phone Arena
22-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Jony Ive and ChatGPT's maker want to reinvent hardware — but didn't we already reject this idea?
OpenAI's next big thing... but what is it? Video credit – OpenAI OpenAI says this They've both said this device is going to be something different – something made specifically with AI in mind. According to Ive, people are "uneasy" with the current tech landscape and are hungry for something new. And hey, that might be true. But is this the answer? We've already seen attempts to create new AI-native gadgets, and let's just say the results haven't been great. Humane's AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 both promised the future... and kind of flopped right out of the gate. When AI-only gadgets crash and burn The OpenAI says this new device will be a level of consumer hardware we've never seen before . And with Jony Ive designing it, you can bet it's going to look and feel both said this device is going to be something different – something made specifically with AI in mind. According to Ive, people are "uneasy" with the current tech landscape and are hungry for something new. And hey, that might be true. But is this the answer?We've already seen attempts to create new AI-native gadgets, and let's just say the results haven't been great. Humane's AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 both promised the future... and kind of flopped right out of the idea behind the Humane AI Pin was simple : ditch the screen and let an AI assistant handle everything. No apps, no taps – just ask it to do things like make a call, send a message or look something up. It ran on its own OS, called CosmOS, and tried to be this ambient, voice-first helper. Same idea with the Rabbit R1. The R1 at least has a company still trying to improve it. Updates are coming and the team seems to be listening. But Humane? That project fizzled out before it even had time to figure out what it was. And even Jony Ive himself wasn't impressed. He called both products "very poor." Ouch. But I don't think their failure was just about bad design or buggy software. I guess it comes down to something much simpler: we don't actually need these things. Not yet, anyway. Same idea with the Rabbit R1. It showed up last year with a flashy keynote and wild promises . It wasn't just supposed to be smart – it was supposed to do everything your phone does, but better and faster. Except... it didn' R1 at least has a company still trying to improve it. Updates are coming and the team seems to be listening. But Humane? That project fizzled out before it even had time to figure out what it was. And even Jony Ive himself wasn't impressed. He called both products "very poor." I don't think their failure was just about bad design or buggy software. I guess it comes down to something much simpler: we don't actually need these things. Not yet, anyway. Are we even ready for this? From what we know, OpenAI and Ive are cooking up something screen-free, compact and smart enough to know your context – like where you are, what you're doing and how you're feeling. The goal? Make it feel natural like it just "gets you." Sounds cool in theory. But here's the thing – we kinda like our screens. We like to scroll, swipe, watch, text, snap pics and yes, doomscroll Instagram or X at 2 AM. Even if we complain about screen addiction, most of what we do on our phones isn't really about productivity – it's entertainment. And let's be honest, an AI device that just talks to you? It's not exactly YouTube or TikTok material. Without something fun or visual, it's hard to see people lining up to buy it. So yeah, maybe it's designed to break our phone habits, but if the replacement isn't fun or exciting, people just won't bite. Still, this one might actually work From what we know, OpenAI and Ive are cooking up something screen-free, compact and smart enough to know your context – like where you are, what you're doing and how you're feeling. The goal? Make it feel natural like it just "gets you."Sounds cool in theory. But here's the thing – we kinda like our screens. We like to scroll, swipe, watch, text, snap pics and yes, doomscroll Instagram or X at 2 AM. Even if we complain about screen addiction, most of what we do on our phones isn't really about productivity – it's let's be honest, an AI device that just talks to you? It's not exactly YouTube or TikTok material. Without something fun or visual, it's hard to see people lining up to buy yeah, maybe it's designed to break our phone habits, but if the replacement isn't fun or exciting, people just won't bite. I asked ChatGPT to imagine what an OpenAI device designed by Jony Ive might look like – and this is what it came up with. Feels possible, right? But we will see if the chatbot was actually onto something next year. Let's be real – this could be the first AI gadget that doesn't totally flop. And that is because it wouldn't just be slapping an AI model onto a fancy-looking box. Humane and Rabbit are more like interfaces to existing AI models. OpenAI's device, though, could be built with the model in mind from the ground up, meaning: Real-time functionality without relying on API calls. Personalized behavior that evolves with you. Maybe even a local, fine-tuned model for offline use. So instead of asking it to play a song or call a ride, it could learn your routines, understand your voice, read your mood and anticipate what you need – kind of like an AI brain in your pocket that just gets you. And then there's the design. Humane gave us a laser projector. Rabbit gave us a walkie-talkie vibe. Both were trying way too hard. But with Ive on board? Expect something clean, smooth and minimal – something that blends into your life without screaming "gadget." So yeah, I'm curious. I still don't think we need this kind of device right now, but for AI fans out there, this might finally be the one worth watching. If anyone can actually pull this off, it's this duo. Let's be real – this could be the first AI gadget that doesn't totally flop. And that is because it wouldn't just be slapping an AI model onto a fancy-looking box. Humane and Rabbit are more like interfaces to existing AI models. OpenAI's device, though, could be built with the model in mind from the ground up, meaning:So instead of asking it to play a song or call a ride, it could learn your routines, understand your voice, read your mood and anticipate what you need – kind of like an AI brain in your pocket that just gets then there's the design. Humane gave us a laser projector. Rabbit gave us a walkie-talkie vibe. Both were trying way too hard. But with Ive on board? Expect something clean, smooth and minimal – something that blends into your life without screaming "gadget."So yeah, I'm curious. I still don't think we need this kind of device right now, but for AI fans out there, this might finally be the one worth watching. If anyone can actually pull this off, it's this duo. What do you think? Would you buy a screen-free AI device? What would it need to do for you to ditch your phone (even just a little)? Let me know in the comments. So, you probably already got used to the idea that AI is here to stay, right? Just a couple of years ago, AI had nothing to do with our phones and now you can't launch a flagship without hearing the word at least ten times. It's in our phones, our laptops, browsers, apps – and just about every corner of the internet. I mean, AI's not coming anymore – it's already moved in and started rearranging the with AI evolving at lightspeed, it was only a matter of time before someone at the top said, "Hey, what if we built hardware around this thing?" And that is exactly what is happening. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, just teamed up with none other than Jony Ive – yes, the guy who helped design the iPhone, iPod and Mac – to build a new kind of AI-first deal, which includes around $6.5 billion in equity and past investments, brings in io, a startup founded by Ive. LoveFrom, Ive's design studio, will stay independent but will now lead the design of OpenAI's products – including the software yeah, the brains behind ChatGPT and the guy who shaped Apple's most iconic gadgets are working on something entirely new. Sounds like a dream team. But here's the big question: do we really need it? Because recent history shows us... maybe not.
