OpenAI to partner Apple suppliers for AI-native devices, to launch in 2027: Report

OpenAI is also said to be in talks with Apple's Chinese partner Goertek, which manufactures AirPods, HomePods and Apple Watches.

OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, earlier this year in May, officially announced teaming up with legendary Apple's product design veteran Jon Ivy to bring the company's first-ever generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI) device.

Later in July, Ive's io Products, Inc.'s engineering and design teams officially merged with OpenAI. Though the company will be deeply involved with OpenAI's device design, it will remain independent.

Now, the company is busy signing deals with top Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers to mass produce OpenAI's first devices.

It has already found one-- Luxshare, a prominent supplier, which manufactures significant batches of AirPods for Apple, reported The Information.

OpenAI is also said to be in talks with Apple's Chinese partner Goertek, which churns out AirPods, HomePods and Apple Watches.

Going by OpenAI's interest in manufacturers which excel in producing particular categories of Apple devices, we can assume that the company's first set of products will most likely be AI-native smart wearables such as earphones, watches and even smart speakers.

OpenAI's devices will be able to create new alternatives for customers who are not satisfied with the current crop of smart speakers from Amazon, Apple and Google.

There is also speculation that OpenAI may offer a compact AI device similar to the Rabbit AI device and Humane AI Pin, which actually supported ChatGPT. But they flopped due to half-baked AI features.

With Jon Ive at the helm of product design and hardware and Sam Altman's software engineers, OpenAI has the potential to introduce a breakthrough AI-native device that can disrupt the consumer electronics segment just like ChatGPT did in the field of generative Artificial Intelligence.

If things go as planned, OpenAI is expected to bring its first hardware in 2027, which, by the way, is Apple's big milestone year for Apple. It marks the 20th anniversary of the iPhone. And, Jony Ive was the lead designer of Apple's first mobile and even the iPod.

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