Jony Ive and Sam Altman finally have an AI hardware prototype

Sam Altman and Jony Ive just confirmed that their mystery OpenAI hardware project finally has a working prototype.

Speaking with Laurene Powell Jobs at Emerson Collective’s 2025 Demo Day, the duo revealed they have settled on a design and are currently prototyping the device. When asked about a launch timeline, Ive said it could arrive in less than two years.

A screen-free gadget you want to bite

Details remain tightly guarded, though rumors suggest the device is screen-free and roughly the size of a standard smartphone.

Altman described the final design as simple, beautiful, and playful. He admitted an earlier prototype was exciting, but lacked the feeling of wanting to pick it up and take a bite out of it, until they suddenly found the right form.

Ive added that he loves solutions that teeter on appearing almost naive in their simplicity. The goal is an intensely sophisticated product that feels entirely un-intimidating, something you use almost carelessly without a second thought.

Why it matters

Early standalone AI gadgets like the Humane Ai Pin and Rabbit R1 crashed hard, mostly because they felt like half-baked phone replacements rather than must-have companions. Everyone is waiting to see what dedicated AI hardware actually should look like.

Putting OpenAI’s intelligence inside Jony Ive’s industrial design gives this project instant credibility that others lacked. If they succeed, it could pioneer the first post-smartphone computing form factor.

Still, less than two years is an eternity in AI. Locking down hardware now while models evolve monthly means they risk shipping yesterday's shell for tomorrow's intelligence.