OpenAI Hires iPhone Designer Jony Ive for AI Device Launch 2027

Jony Ive, the renowned designer behind Apple's iPhone, has partnered with OpenAI in a $6.4 billion deal to create a new AI-powered device that embodies the belief that "humanity deserves better." Ive expressed a sense of responsibility for the unintended negative consequences of modern technology and aims to use this project to renew optimism about technology's role in human life. The device, described as screenless and wearable around the neck with a sleek design reminiscent of the iPod Shuffle, is intended to be fully aware of its user's surroundings and act as a third core personal gadget alongside the iPhone and MacBook Pro. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised the prototype as "the coolest piece of technology the world will have ever seen," with mass production anticipated to begin in 2027. This collaboration marks a significant fusion of design and AI technology, aiming to reshape humanity's interaction with tech products in a more positive and useful way. Ive's work with OpenAI rekindles his idealistic vision of technology serving humanity, contrasting with his perception of current uneasy relationships people have with devices like smartphones and social media.