In 2019, Jony Ive departed from Apple after a remarkable 27-year tenure, during which he crafted the minimalist aesthetic that defined iconic products like the iPhone. A rare celebrity in the industrial design realm, he co-chaired the Met Gala and collaborated with director J.J. Abrams to design a new lightsaber for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." After leaving Apple, Ive founded his own design firm, LoveFrom, and made significant real estate investments in San Francisco’s Jackson Square to create a vibrant creative community. This occurred at the onset of the pandemic, a time when many tech industry leaders were fleeing San Francisco. Disconcerted by the mass exodus of talent, Ive reflected on his deep connection to the city, which he embraced as home after joining Apple's design team in 1992. He chose Jackson Square for LoveFrom's headquarters due to its rich creative history and concentration of galleries and artists. "I’ve been fortunate to experience San Francisco through Steve Jobs's lens," said Ive, who named his company in honor of Jobs's advice to create with empathy and love.
Ive aims to draw creative minds to the heart of the city. He converted one building into the LoveFrom studio, focusing on design projects in automotive, fashion, and travel. Another building serves as the headquarters for a new AI device company he’s developing in partnership with OpenAI. When contemplating his departure from Apple, Ive sought advice from friend and industrial designer Marc Newson, who joined Apple in 2014 to develop the Apple Watch. They both wanted to move away from Apple’s cumbersome processes. Over the past five years, Ive and Newson have recruited architects, graphic designers, writers, and film effects developers for projects driven by passion, client work—including for companies like Airbnb and Ferrari—and their own initiatives, including architectural renovations. Their philosophy centers around creating work that is both for "loving others" and "loving ourselves," with the major "loving ourselves" project being the revitalization of Jackson Square.
Collaboration with OpenAI
Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, was an early client of LoveFrom. The firm revamped Airbnb’s feedback system, introducing 3D icons and a concept called "Travel Postcards." This led to innovative offerings like rental properties based on X-Men mansions. Chesky, a friend of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, facilitated a dinner where Ive and Altman discussed how generative AI could drive the development of new computing devices. They explored capabilities beyond traditional software, such as message prioritization and complex travel booking. In subsequent meetings, they reached a consensus to partner on product development, with LoveFrom spearheading the design. Together, they've been quietly raising funds, anticipating up to $1 billion in initial capital from tech investors by year-end, with SoftBank mentioned as a possible major backer. This move into consumer electronics could solidify OpenAI's position in the competitive AI landscape, with possibilities for developing AI chips as well.
The Enigmatic AI Device
In February, Ive identified office space, investing $60 million in a 32,000-square-foot building named "Little Fox Theater," adjacent to LoveFrom’s courtyard. Currently, he has about ten employees, including Tang Tan, who worked on iPhone development, and Evans Hankey, his successor as design lead at Apple. By late June, early product concepts began to take shape, focused on leveraging AI to create a more socially impactful computing experience than the iPhone. While still in secret development, specifics on the product and release timeline remain under wraps. In late September, sources disclosed the collaborative plans between Ive and Altman, aimed at creating a new AI device with natural voice interaction, diverging from conventional smartphone interfaces. OpenAI envisions transcending existing chat systems to develop proactive AI agents, drawing inspiration from the AI assistant Samantha in the film "Her." LoveFrom and OpenAI’s partnership could bring this concept to life as part of the advanced voice mode for ChatGPT, promoting near-real-time dialogues with AI.
Despite the excitement around his new projects, Ive harbors concerns about the sizable real estate investments and the success of his new ventures. However, he believes that success should not solely be defined by financial metrics. "You have to somehow befriend uncertainty," he says, embodying a mindset that contrasts sharply with traditional corporate thinking.
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