- By Prateek Levi
- Sun, 29 Jun 2025 02:10 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, doesn’t think the traditional computer has a future. Speaking on a podcast recently, Altman said the computing devices and software we use today are relics of a bygone era—designed before artificial intelligence took centre stage.
“Computers, software, and hardware… were designed for a world without AI,” he said. “Now we’re in a different world, and what you want out of hardware and software is changing quite rapidly.”
In Altman’s view, we’re heading toward a new generation of devices—ones that are more aware of their context, more responsive to users, and more seamlessly integrated into everyday life. These future systems won’t just process input and run applications—they’ll sense, adapt, and interact intelligently based on environment and behaviour.
That vision isn’t just theoretical.
Altman is teaming up with none other than legendary Apple designer Jony Ive to bring this concept to life. The two are working on a secretive AI hardware project, reportedly backed by a major investment from SoftBank.
There’s not much concrete information available about what they’re building, but it’s clear this isn’t a small experiment. As reported by TechCrunch, Tang Tan—the startup’s chief hardware officer and a former Apple executive—shared during a court hearing that the device they’re developing is not a wearable or an in-ear gadget.
Instead, Altman described it as something that’s meant to “fit in your pocket or sit on your desk”. That single quote has sparked a wave of speculation, but for now, the design remains under wraps, and a public reveal is still likely a year or more away.
Whatever it ends up being, Altman and Ive appear to be aiming for a major leap forward—rethinking the very way we interact with intelligent machines in our daily lives.