OpenAI and designer Jony Ive, formerly of Apple, are facing difficulties in developing a screenless AI device, according to the Financial Times.
The report states that the companies aim to create a "pocket-sized device without a screen" that responds to voice commands and visual cues from the environment. However, the team has yet to resolve issues related to the device's "personality," privacy protection, and data processing infrastructure.
Sources from FT indicate that the concept envisions a constantly active mode where the device could initiate interaction autonomously, but developers have struggled to achieve stable behavior — specifically, ensuring that the device only speaks when appropriate.
It is worth noting that in May 2025, OpenAI acquired the startup io, founded by Ive and Sam Altman, for $6.5 billion. At that time, Altman stated that Ive's team would help create a "new generation of AI-based computers." The first devices were expected to be unveiled in 2026, but current challenges may delay the launch.
