OpenAI is going after some of Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) hardware designers and even its manufacturing partners, as the ChatGPT maker prepares to launch its own devices, The Information reported.
The Sam Altman-led OpenAI has hired some of Apple’s design, manufacturing and supply chain teams, as well as some of Apple’s AI researchers, the news outlet added, citing a review of LinkedIn profiles.
The company has also signed a deal with Luxshare — which assembles iPhones and AirPods in China — to assemble at least one of OpenAI’s future devices, the news outlet added, citing multiple people with knowledge of the matter. OpenAI has also spoken to Goertek, which assembles AirPods, HomePods and Apple Watches, for component supply for future OpenAI devices, the people added.
Though not much is known about the device, Altman and former Apple exec Jony Ive, who joined OpenAI earlier this year, previewed the device in May with OpenAI employees. One of the products that OpenAI has spoken with its manufacturing partners about resembles a smart speaker, sans a display, The Information reported, citing sources.
OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), completed its roughly $6.5B all-stock deal to acquire Ive’s hardware startup, io, in July.
Other considerations include glasses, digital voice recorder and wearable pin. However, Altman told the staff that the device is not a pair of glasses, and that Ive had been skeptical about building something to wear on the body.
“We’re not going to ship 100 million devices literally on day one,” Altman told his staff in May. However, he said that OpenAI would ship that large number of high-quality devices “faster than any company has ever shipped 100 million of something new before.” Altman said the aim is to release a device by late next year.
Apple and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha.