OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Calls iPhone Air 'First Upgrade I Really Wanted In Awhile' Following Apple's Latest Launch

Benzinga
2025.09.10 05:13
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised Apple's iPhone 17 launch, calling it the first upgrade he genuinely wanted in years. Despite a 1.83% drop in Apple shares post-launch, Altman's endorsement highlights potential AI integration opportunities, particularly with the new iPhone Air model. The device, touted as Apple's thinnest at 5.6mm, features advanced specifications and starts at $999. Analysts see significant upgrade potential among iPhone users, while some criticize Apple's AI strategy, emphasizing the need for software improvements alongside hardware updates.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised Apple Inc. AAPL for its iPhone 17 launch on Tuesday, marking the first Apple upgrade he’s genuinely wanted in years. His endorsement comes as Apple shares fell 1.83% following the “Awe Dropping” event unveiling the company’s latest device lineup.

Check out the current price of AAPL stock here.

Altman’s Public Endorsement Signals AI Integration Interest

Following Apple’s Tuesday event, Altman posted on X: “first new iphone upgrade i have really wanted in awhile! looks very cool.” The OpenAI chief expressed particular interest in the iPhone Air model when asked by OpenAI’s Edwin Wee Arbus about the ultra-thin device, responding simply “yes.”

When Hyperbolic Labs Co-founder Yuchen Jin suggested Apple “replace Siri with ChatGPT voice,” Altman replied, “That tbh [to be honest] sounds like a great idea, I am supportive.” This exchange highlights potential collaboration opportunities between the artificial intelligence companies, particularly given Apple’s criticized Siri performance.

iPhone Air Debuts as Apple’s Thinnest Model

Apple’s iPhone Air measures just 5.6mm thick and the company has called it the “thinnest iPhone ever made.” The device features a 6.5-inch ProMotion display with 3,000 nits peak brightness. The A19 Pro chip powers the device alongside the new N1 wireless chip, supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth connectivity.

The device starts at $999, with preorders beginning Friday and store availability on September 19. The Air model includes a single 48MP Fusion camera and all-day battery life with MagSafe support extending playback to 40 hours.

Apple Faces AI Strategy Criticism

Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives maintained his Outperform rating with a $270 price target, calling the iPhone 17 launch “the spark for a new era at Apple.” He estimates 315 million iPhone users haven’t upgraded in over four years, creating significant upgrade potential.

However, investor Peter Andersen criticized Apple’s AI development as “quite an embarrassment,” arguing that hardware updates cannot address long-term software shortcomings. Apple’s 2.4 billion iOS devices worldwide position the company for potential revenue growth if upgrade cycles accelerate.

The iPhone 17’s reception will test whether Apple can leverage its 1.5 billion global iPhone user base while addressing competitive pressure from Microsoft Corp. MSFT, Alphabet Inc. GOOG GOOGL and Meta Platforms Inc. META in AI integration.

  • Apple Launches iPhone 17 Series Starting At $799: Tim Cook Calls It ‘Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Created’
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