Is OpenAI's trillion-dollar market value reliant on this? Partnering with the "father of the iPhone" to create an "AI companion" device, targeting 100 million units, with shipments by the end of next year

According to The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman showcased a prototype device he developed with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to company employees on Wednesday, outlining an ambitious plan to launch 100 million "AI companion" devices into the market, making them a part of daily life.

"We won't produce 100 million devices on day one," Altman said, predicting that OpenAI would manufacture such a large number of high-quality devices "faster than any company." His goal is to launch the devices by the end of next year.

Altman told employees that after acquiring Ive's startup io and giving it broad creative and design responsibilities, "we have the opportunity to do the most significant thing in the company's history." An audio recording indicated that Altman suggested this $6.5 billion acquisition has the potential to add $1 trillion in value to OpenAI.

Ive, widely regarded as one of Apple's most influential designers, is credited with designing revolutionary products ranging from the iMac to the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

The Mysterious "AI Companion," Neither a Phone Nor Glasses

During the meeting, Altman and Ive revealed some details about this mysterious project.

The product will be able to fully perceive the user's environment and life, designed to be unobtrusive, fitting in a pocket or on a desk, becoming the third core device users place on their tables after the MacBook Pro and iPhone.

Earlier reports indicated that this device would not be a phone, as Ive and Altman aim to help users reduce screen time. Altman explicitly stated that the device is not glasses, and Ive is skeptical about creating wearable products.

Ive referred to it as "a new design movement." Altman stated that it would be equivalent to a "family of devices," mentioning his admiration for Apple's long-standing integration of hardware and software products.

OpenAI Enters the Hardware Field, AI Competition May Further Intensify

On May 21, Eastern Time, OpenAI announced that it would acquire the AI device startup io, co-founded by former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive, in an all-stock transaction, valuing io at nearly $6.5 billion.

This acquisition represents a significant strategic shift for OpenAI from a pure software company to a hardware manufacturer. By collaborating with Jony Ive, OpenAI clearly aims to combine its leading AI technology with the iconic design aesthetics that Ive developed at Apple.

This partnership may signal an escalation in the competitive landscape of the AI field. OpenAI is no longer satisfied with merely providing software services like ChatGPT but is preparing to enter the consumer hardware market, which could pose direct competition to tech giants including Apple, Google, and Amazon It is particularly noteworthy that Altman's $1 trillion valuation growth forecast suggests that these "AI companion" devices could create market opportunities similar to the smartphone revolution. As the collaboration between OpenAI and Jony Ive gradually unfolds, the market will closely monitor the specific form, functions, and launch timeline of the device