OpenAI and Jony Ive Complete ‘Jaw-Dropping’ AI Device Prototype

OpenAI and Jony Ive unveil a groundbreaking AI device prototype, aiming to create a post-smartphone consumer gadget set to launch within the next two years

OpenAI and world-renowned designer Jony Ive have officially confirmed that their long-anticipated AI device prototype is now complete—marking one of Silicon Valley’s boldest attempts to build a next-generation consumer gadget. According to a video released by the Emerson Collective, the prototype represents a major milestone in the race to create hardware that could one day surpass the smartphone as the primary digital companion in the AI era.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Jony Ive, the legendary creative mind behind the iPhone and iPad, described the AI device prototype as “jaw-droppingly good.” Both leaders emphasized that the hardware is unlike any product currently on the market and has the potential to redefine how people interact with technology in their everyday lives.

OpenAI readies its AI device prototype for launch

The device is the result of OpenAI’s $6.4 billion acquisition of Ive’s hardware startup, ‘io,’ earlier this year. Ive, who left Apple in 2019 to found his design studio LoveFrom, is leading the design direction. LoveFrom, known for its collaborations with Ferrari, Airbnb, and Moncler, is working closely with OpenAI’s engineering teams to transform the concept into a consumer-ready product.

The AI device prototype is not intended to be a traditional smartphone replacement. Instead, it is envisioned as an “AI-first” object — one that might not even feature a display. Altman described the design philosophy as “simple and beautiful and playful,” noting that early physical mockups evoked a feeling so compelling that he “wanted to pick up that thing and take a bite out of it.”

He contrasted the calm, minimalistic vision behind the AI device with the chaos of modern smartphones. Altman said today’s smartphone experience feels like “walking through Times Square and getting bumped into,” whereas interacting with the new device feels like being in a serene lakeside cabin, completely at peace.

What the AI device prototype might offer

While OpenAI has kept functional details confidential, industry insiders believe the device could compete with the latest wave of AI-powered wearables such as smart glasses, AI pins, pendants, and rings. Companies like Humane and Meta are also experimenting with screen-free or low-screen AI companions, signaling a broader shift in consumer hardware trends.

The unveiling of the AI device prototype comes as OpenAI rapidly expands its hardware and systems engineering teams. The company recently hired 40 new engineers—many of them reportedly poached from Apple—to accelerate the integration of advanced AI models into consumer-friendly form factors.

Experts say that if the prototype progresses smoothly, OpenAI could launch the device commercially in less than two years, positioning it as a breakthrough moment in post-smartphone innovation. With Altman and Ive both describing the hardware as a turning point, expectations are high that the device may establish a new category of AI-native consumer products.

As Silicon Valley intensifies its pursuit of AI-powered gadgets, the completion of OpenAI’s AI device prototype could be the push that propels the industry into an entirely new chapter—one where simplicity, intelligence, and design converge to reshape how we live.