Jony Ive says he wants his OPENAI devices “to make us happy”

At Openai The conference of developers in San Francisco on Monday, CEO Sam Altman and former apple designer Jony Ive spoke in vague terms of the “family of aircraft” that the pair is currently working to develop.

“As large as phones and computers, there is something new to do,” said Altman on stage with IVE. The duo has confirmed that Optai is working on more than one material product, but finer details, ranging from use cases to specifications, remain under Wraps.

“The equipment is difficult. Determining the new computer form factors is difficult,” said Altman in a press conference earlier during the day. “I think we have a chance to do something incredible, but it will take some time.”

IVE said that his team had generated ideas “from 15 to 20 truly convincing products” on the trip to find the right type of equipment to concentrate business efforts.

“I don’t think we have an easy relationship with our technology at the moment,” said IVE. “Rather than seeing AI as an extension of these challenges, I see it very differently.” IVE explained that one of the reasons why he wanted to design a device powered by AI with OPENAI is to transform the relationship that people currently have to the devices they use every day.

While I act has recognized the potential of AI to increase productivity, efficiency does not seem to be its main objective with these devices. Rather, he hopes that they bring more social good to the world. The devices should “make us happy, fulfilled and more peaceful, less anxious and less disconnected,” he said.

Previous reports have indicated that Optai planned to make a new category of equipment that does not look like a phone or laptop. In a recent overview of OpenAi staff, Altman suggested that the product would be aware of the environment and the daily experiences of a user, according to the Wall Street Journal. The device can be without screen and rely on the inputs of cameras and microphones.

Openai also did not say publicly when he planned to launch the devices, although the end of 2026 could be the target launch, according to the Financial Times. The publication recently indicated that the development of the device had been blocked by technical problems.