Rumors of a collaboration between former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman surfaced last year, but both parties remained tight-lipped—until now. In a recent profile by The New York Times, Ive confirmed that his design firm, LoveFrom, is spearheading the development of an AI product in partnership with Altman. Joining them are Tang Tan and Evans Hankey, both of whom have held significant design roles at Apple.
The project currently involves a team of about 10 employees, all based in a San Francisco office that is part of a block of properties recently acquired by Ive. While the specifics of their AI endeavor remain under wraps, the report notes Tan and Hankey transporting chairs laden with papers and cardboard boxes that contain the initial concepts for a product intended to create a less socially disruptive computing experience than the iPhone.
Since leaving Apple in 2019 to launch LoveFrom, Ive's design firm has explored various projects, including a typeface and a $60,000 turntable, but hardware developments have been sparse. Although an AI product is on the horizon, no timeline for its release has been disclosed.