Former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are in search of funding for an AI-powered personal device, reports The Information.
While little is known about the AI device, the report says the device will not look like a smartphone. Altman is already a major investor in the Humane AI pin, which is a screenless, wearable device, so it’s possible that we could see a similar type of device come out of the Ive/Altman device.
We first saw reports of an Ive/Altman partnership last fall, but talks were said to be in the early stages at that time, and nothing was official. Ive and Altman’s so far unnamed startup is now sourcing funds from major venture capitalists, with the aim of raising up to $1 billion in funding.
The pair has also been in talks with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. Other potential investors include Thrive Capital, an OpenAI investor, and Emerson Collective, a venture capital firm and philanthropic organization founded by Laurene Powell Jobs. OpenAI could also own a piece of the business.
Ive left Apple in 2019. While the former Apple design chief continued to work with the Cupertino company for several years in a consulting role, Ive and Apple ended their relationship completely in 2022.
