- Altman and Ive say their AI device will be available in less than two years
- Provides a quieter environment than other current technologies
- He will know everything about you.
Can a technical product be a “sea hut”? Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, agrees. Altman and former apple design expert Jony Ive shared perhaps more than ever with Laurene Powell Jobs this week about their joint venture’s long-awaited artificial intelligence product: IO.
While we still don’t know much about this mysterious AI-powered product, it’s clear that the new device will be unlike most consumer electronics available today. Speaking with Ive and Powell Jobs at Emmerson’s joint demo day, Altman noted that while the iphone I designed was “the pinnacle of consumer products,” most devices and apps today don’t seem to reach that level.
They make Altman “feel like I’m walking through Times Square in New York, constantly dealing with all the little infractions along the way, lights flashing in my face, tension rising, people pushing me, like it’s noise.”
In contrast, Altman said the device they built had enough contextual awareness to not be intrusive. Instead, you would know when to ask for information and when to present it. “And there’s this incredible contextual awareness of your whole life. So you can choose an atmosphere that’s not like you’re walking through Times Square and walking by and all these things are competing for your attention. But like sitting in the most beautiful cabin on the lake and in the mountains and just enjoying the peace and quiet.”
This “vibe” like Altman. described, come.
Powell Jobs pressed when we would finally see this mysterious device, asking if it could happen in five years.
“A long time ago,” I began. Powell asked, “Two?” And I continued, “I think even less.”
Simple and portable?
In conversation: Sam Altman of OpenAI and Jony Ive of LoveFrom with Laurene Powell Jobs | #ECDemoDay – YouTube
This is surprising given the recent reports that the couple had problems with the device.
If you can learn anything from this discussion, it’s that this AI-rich product, which we hoped would include the latest GPT models, knows everything about you and is meant to be direct, even simple.
I tried to convey his intentions: “I can’t stand products that look like a dog wagging its tail in its face, or products that are so proud of solving a complicated problem that they want to remind you how hard it was. I like solutions that seem almost naive in their simplicity. And I also like incredibly smart and sophisticated products that you want to touch.”
Or use. Many believe that Altman and Ive are building a portable device the size of an old iPod Shuffle. Of course, as Altman says, “knowing everything about yourself” requires the situational awareness that comes from keeping your clothes or personality and seeing the world as we see it.
Alman added that at the beginning of their collaboration, I said that no matter what the final product was, “we’re going to make people smile. We’re going to bring them joy.”
This can pose a significant challenge for an AI product. After all, most approach the rise of generative AI and chatbots with a mixture of joy and dread. They love the quick, fun answers, summaries and graphs they can get from chatgpt, but they also worry about how technology could take over their jobs or, in the case of artificial general intelligence (AGI), take over the world.