On Monday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman clarified that the much-anticipated hardware project he's developing with Jony Ive, the former Apple design chief, is not a phone. During an interview with Axios' Ina Fried at an event held alongside the UN General Assembly, Altman dismissed the idea of creating a new phone, stating, "I don't think you should try to do a better phone."
Altman did not provide specific details on the nature of the project but hinted that it is still far from being released. He noted that OpenAI’s first product took more than four and a half years to launch, calling that timeline "fast" by industry standards.
Jony Ive has confirmed his collaboration with Altman, fueling speculation about a revolutionary AI-driven device. While Altman has previously spoken about the potential for new computing platforms to emerge with advancements in AI, this project remains in the early development stages.
Meanwhile, OpenAI continues to advance on multiple fronts, recently releasing its o1 reasoning model and expanding its capabilities in voice chat with GPT-4. Altman also hinted at more big announcements this year, though he did not confirm whether GPT-5 is part of those plans.
OpenAI is reportedly close to securing $6.5 billion in financing, which could become the largest venture capital deal in tech history. However, Altman declined to comment on the matter during the event.