OpenAI's next big development won't be a wearable gadget. As TechCrunch reports, citing a report by The Wall Street Journal, the company's CEO Sam Altman told employees that it's a small, screen-less device that will be able to recognize the user's surroundings.
It will be compact enough to fit on a desk or in a pocket. The novelty should become a "third essential device" next to the MacBook Pro and iPhone. According to the plan, it should be an "AI companion" tightly integrated into everyday life.
"This idea is a chance to do the biggest thing we've ever done as a company," Altman told OpenAI employees.
The announcement comes amid news that OpenAI is buying io, a startup founded last year by former Apple designer Jony Ive. The deal is worth $6.5 billion in shares in the company. Ive will lead the creative direction at OpenAI.
According to Altman, this collaboration could potentially bring the company a trillion dollars in market value, creating a new category of devices that do not belong to smartphones or wearable gadgets.
However, the success of this format is questionable, given the recent failures of similar solutions — in particular, devices from Rabbit and Humane, which failed to interest the mass user.
Incidentally, Altman stressed in his speech to the team that maintaining confidentiality was key to preventing competitors from copying the product early. However, the leak of the recording of his speech raises questions about the level of trust within the company.