Jony Ive and OpenAI Hit Snags Building Palm-Sized AI Device
Mar 24th 2026 · United States
A Financial Times report says the iPhone designer and OpenAI are developing a screenless AI accessory but face computing and interaction challenges.
- The device is reported to be screenless, palm-size and designed to process audio and visual input.
- OpenAI lacks the compute scale of Amazon or Google and is straining to support current ChatGPT demand.
- Delivering bespoke on-device performance would require much more processing power, a factor behind OpenAI's multibillion dollar AMD data center deal.
- Engineers are tuning the device to be nonintrusive because it currently struggles to know when to end conversations and can be overly agreeable.
- OpenAI acquired Ive's design firm io in May for $6.5 billion, and similar standalone AI wearables have so far underwhelmed the market.
Articles
- iPhone Designer Jony Ive Is Reportedly Running Into Snags With AI Project www.cnet.com
- ‘I Don’t Use AI Much’: Apple Co-Founder Expresses Skepticism AI Can Replace Humans gizmodo.com
- Figure AI Founder and iPhone Air Designer Team Up on AI Mystery Product gizmodo.com
- Steve Wozniak says he's "disappointed a lot" by AI and rarely uses it www.techspot.com
- Meet the former Apple designer building a new AI interface at Hark techcrunch.com
- Arm launches own AI chip in high-stakes strategy shift www.ft.com
- Arm Is Now Making Its Own Chips www.wired.com
- Arm Lends a Hand, Launches In-House AI Chip With Meta as Its First Customer gizmodo.com