Latest news with #Humane
Arabian Business
5 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
Saudi Arabia joins the race to be the next Silicon Valley of the Middle East
Saudi Arabia could emerge as the Middle East's Silicon Valley, with moves to partner directly with global leaders in new-age tech to form the bedrock for powering local innovation, sector experts said. Institutional alignment, sovereign capital and regulatory clarity make the country an execution-first environment for AI and Web3 startups. Saudi Arabia is also making smart moves to build its own AI infrastructure through sovereign initiatives like Humane aimed to ensure data sovereignty, strategic control and scalable impact, besides aligning with national values and priorities, that can act as a template for emerging economies to model their digital futures instead of outsourcing them, experts said. 'Saudi Arabia is building infrastructure, not just regulation. While Europe debates constraints, Saudi partners directly with global innovators to build at scale,' Johanna Cabildo, CEO of D-GN (Data Guardians Network), told Arabian Business. 'When a government like Saudi Arabia doesn't just endorse, but funds and deploys AI across ministries, oil giants and smart cities, it creates demand signals that attract private innovators,' he said. Cabildo cited moves like Saudi Aramco's engagement with US-based droppGroup for developing foundational AI and blockchain systems as smart measures to power local innovation. Industry players said the Saudi government's $40 billion AI investment is bound to reshape the country – as well as the wider region – into a competitive innovation hub, triggering a large-scale influx of global talents into the country. The kingdom's big AI push in line with its 'Vision 2030' is turning the country into a magnet for global AI builders, they said. Saudi Arabia's AI ambition Experts said Saudi Arabia is one of the few markets with both political will and economic scale to support the next wave of AI and Web3. The Saudi market is seeing a healthy combination of convergence of technologies with active support of local regulators, they said. Jaspreet Bindra, Co-founder, AI&Beyond, said the kingdom is rapidly positioning itself as the Silicon Valley of the Middle East by combining sovereign capital, regulatory clarity, and bold partnerships with global tech leaders. 'It's a smart, future-facing approach that not only fosters local innovation, but also offers a replicable model for other emerging economies to shape their digital futures on their own terms rather than relying on external ecosystems,' Bindra told Arabian Business. Cabildo said if Saudi Arabia introduces clear regulations and fast onboarding frameworks, it will not just attract founders, it will become the launchpad for global ventures building around data sovereignty, digital identity and decentralised intelligence. 'This is where the next breakout companies could be born,' he said. Citing that the Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) has quietly issued over 80 tokenisation licences as far back as 2021, Cabildo said the intent has been there for a push to innovate locally. Blockchain adds the transparency and ownership AI needs, he said. Senior executives at other tech firms said Saudi Arabia – as well as countries like the UAE in the region – is stepping out from being a consumer of innovation to becoming a global producer. This could turn the kingdom into the new centre of gravity for AI, where capital talent and emerging technologies collide, they said. Pointing out that Saudi Arabia's $40 billion AI push is more than an investment, it's a declaration, Cabildo said such moves signal that the country will not just replicate Silicon Valley, but will build something different – an ecosystem built for sovereign-scale digital infrastructure that prioritises trust, equity and intelligence. 'With the right moves, Saudi Arabia has the potential to pull the future toward it,' he said. AI powers industry shift Industry players said collaborations such as Saudi Aramco's mega AI and blockchain deal with droppGroup are expected to have a significant impact on traditional sectors such as energy, logistics and education in the country. AI can revolutionise operations in the energy sector, with predictive maintenance, powered by machine learning, that could save billions by preventing outages in Aramco's oil fields. In logistics, AI-driven systems will streamline supply chains, cutting delays at ports like Jeddah and optimising NEOM's global trade hub, while in education, AI will personalise learning with platforms like the National e-learning initiative, equipping students for a digital economy, they said. Cabildo said the real transformation, however, will be in the workforce. 'Vision 2030's Human Capability Development Programme aims to shift workers from routine tasks to knowledge-driven roles. [Deal like the Aramco-droppGroup] fuel that shift, creating demand for data scientists, AI engineers and innovation managers – roles critical to a diversified economy,' he said.
Mint
23-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
OpenAI teams with Jony Ive on AI hardware? Here's what Ming-Chi Kuo reveals about the prototype
A new wave of excitement has been stirred in the tech world following reports of a collaboration between former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive and OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company led by Sam Altman. The partnership centres around a sleek new AI-powered device, currently in the prototype stage, with plans for mass production by 2027. According to respected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who shared details in a recent post on X, the prototype bears a form factor slightly larger than Humane's Ai Pin, a compact wearable computer that struggled to gain market traction. Despite its size, the device is expected to exhibit the same minimalist elegance as Apple's iconic iPod Shuffle. Designed for ambient intelligence, the device is said to include cameras and microphones for environmental awareness. This would enable contextual interactions when worn around the neck, without the need for a built-in screen. Instead, it would leverage smartphones and PCs for display and computational power, offering a seamless, interconnected AI experience. OpenAI and Ive's design firm, known as 'io,' are reportedly aiming to make the device an everyday essential, not a pair of smart glasses, but a compact, intelligent companion that could rest on a desk or be tucked into a pocket. Sam Altman is believed to have already showcased early concepts to OpenAI staff, describing it as a potential "third core device" to accompany a laptop and smartphone. To circumvent ongoing geopolitical tensions and avoid dependency on Chinese manufacturing, assembly and distribution are expected to take place in Vietnam. This shift aligns with a broader trend among tech companies seeking to diversify their supply chains due to increasing trade restrictions and rising tariffs between China and the United States. While the project remains in early development and final specifications are yet to be confirmed, industry watchers anticipate that the collaboration between Ive's legendary design sensibilities and OpenAI's artificial intelligence capabilities could set a new standard in personal computing.
Phone Arena
22-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Jony Ive and ChatGPT's maker want to reinvent hardware — but didn't we already reject this idea?
OpenAI's next big thing... but what is it? Video credit – OpenAI OpenAI says this They've both said this device is going to be something different – something made specifically with AI in mind. According to Ive, people are "uneasy" with the current tech landscape and are hungry for something new. And hey, that might be true. But is this the answer? We've already seen attempts to create new AI-native gadgets, and let's just say the results haven't been great. Humane's AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 both promised the future... and kind of flopped right out of the gate. When AI-only gadgets crash and burn The OpenAI says this new device will be a level of consumer hardware we've never seen before . And with Jony Ive designing it, you can bet it's going to look and feel both said this device is going to be something different – something made specifically with AI in mind. According to Ive, people are "uneasy" with the current tech landscape and are hungry for something new. And hey, that might be true. But is this the answer?We've already seen attempts to create new AI-native gadgets, and let's just say the results haven't been great. Humane's AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 both promised the future... and kind of flopped right out of the idea behind the Humane AI Pin was simple : ditch the screen and let an AI assistant handle everything. No apps, no taps – just ask it to do things like make a call, send a message or look something up. It ran on its own OS, called CosmOS, and tried to be this ambient, voice-first helper. Same idea with the Rabbit R1. The R1 at least has a company still trying to improve it. Updates are coming and the team seems to be listening. But Humane? That project fizzled out before it even had time to figure out what it was. And even Jony Ive himself wasn't impressed. He called both products "very poor." Ouch. But I don't think their failure was just about bad design or buggy software. I guess it comes down to something much simpler: we don't actually need these things. Not yet, anyway. Same idea with the Rabbit R1. It showed up last year with a flashy keynote and wild promises . It wasn't just supposed to be smart – it was supposed to do everything your phone does, but better and faster. Except... it didn' R1 at least has a company still trying to improve it. Updates are coming and the team seems to be listening. But Humane? That project fizzled out before it even had time to figure out what it was. And even Jony Ive himself wasn't impressed. He called both products "very poor." I don't think their failure was just about bad design or buggy software. I guess it comes down to something much simpler: we don't actually need these things. Not yet, anyway. Are we even ready for this? From what we know, OpenAI and Ive are cooking up something screen-free, compact and smart enough to know your context – like where you are, what you're doing and how you're feeling. The goal? Make it feel natural like it just "gets you." Sounds cool in theory. But here's the thing – we kinda like our screens. We like to scroll, swipe, watch, text, snap pics and yes, doomscroll Instagram or X at 2 AM. Even if we complain about screen addiction, most of what we do on our phones isn't really about productivity – it's entertainment. And let's be honest, an AI device that just talks to you? It's not exactly YouTube or TikTok material. Without something fun or visual, it's hard to see people lining up to buy it. So yeah, maybe it's designed to break our phone habits, but if the replacement isn't fun or exciting, people just won't bite. Still, this one might actually work From what we know, OpenAI and Ive are cooking up something screen-free, compact and smart enough to know your context – like where you are, what you're doing and how you're feeling. The goal? Make it feel natural like it just "gets you."Sounds cool in theory. But here's the thing – we kinda like our screens. We like to scroll, swipe, watch, text, snap pics and yes, doomscroll Instagram or X at 2 AM. Even if we complain about screen addiction, most of what we do on our phones isn't really about productivity – it's let's be honest, an AI device that just talks to you? It's not exactly YouTube or TikTok material. Without something fun or visual, it's hard to see people lining up to buy yeah, maybe it's designed to break our phone habits, but if the replacement isn't fun or exciting, people just won't bite. I asked ChatGPT to imagine what an OpenAI device designed by Jony Ive might look like – and this is what it came up with. Feels possible, right? But we will see if the chatbot was actually onto something next year. Let's be real – this could be the first AI gadget that doesn't totally flop. And that is because it wouldn't just be slapping an AI model onto a fancy-looking box. Humane and Rabbit are more like interfaces to existing AI models. OpenAI's device, though, could be built with the model in mind from the ground up, meaning: Real-time functionality without relying on API calls. Personalized behavior that evolves with you. Maybe even a local, fine-tuned model for offline use. So instead of asking it to play a song or call a ride, it could learn your routines, understand your voice, read your mood and anticipate what you need – kind of like an AI brain in your pocket that just gets you. And then there's the design. Humane gave us a laser projector. Rabbit gave us a walkie-talkie vibe. Both were trying way too hard. But with Ive on board? Expect something clean, smooth and minimal – something that blends into your life without screaming "gadget." So yeah, I'm curious. I still don't think we need this kind of device right now, but for AI fans out there, this might finally be the one worth watching. If anyone can actually pull this off, it's this duo. Let's be real – this could be the first AI gadget that doesn't totally flop. And that is because it wouldn't just be slapping an AI model onto a fancy-looking box. Humane and Rabbit are more like interfaces to existing AI models. OpenAI's device, though, could be built with the model in mind from the ground up, meaning:So instead of asking it to play a song or call a ride, it could learn your routines, understand your voice, read your mood and anticipate what you need – kind of like an AI brain in your pocket that just gets then there's the design. Humane gave us a laser projector. Rabbit gave us a walkie-talkie vibe. Both were trying way too hard. But with Ive on board? Expect something clean, smooth and minimal – something that blends into your life without screaming "gadget."So yeah, I'm curious. I still don't think we need this kind of device right now, but for AI fans out there, this might finally be the one worth watching. If anyone can actually pull this off, it's this duo. What do you think? Would you buy a screen-free AI device? What would it need to do for you to ditch your phone (even just a little)? Let me know in the comments. So, you probably already got used to the idea that AI is here to stay, right? Just a couple of years ago, AI had nothing to do with our phones and now you can't launch a flagship without hearing the word at least ten times. It's in our phones, our laptops, browsers, apps – and just about every corner of the internet. I mean, AI's not coming anymore – it's already moved in and started rearranging the with AI evolving at lightspeed, it was only a matter of time before someone at the top said, "Hey, what if we built hardware around this thing?" And that is exactly what is happening. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, just teamed up with none other than Jony Ive – yes, the guy who helped design the iPhone, iPod and Mac – to build a new kind of AI-first deal, which includes around $6.5 billion in equity and past investments, brings in io, a startup founded by Ive. LoveFrom, Ive's design studio, will stay independent but will now lead the design of OpenAI's products – including the software yeah, the brains behind ChatGPT and the guy who shaped Apple's most iconic gadgets are working on something entirely new. Sounds like a dream team. But here's the big question: do we really need it? Because recent history shows us... maybe not.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
OpenAI unites with Jony Ive in US$6.5bil deal to create AI devices
SAN FRANCISCO: The rise of artificial intelligence has profoundly altered the technology world in recent years, upending how software is created, how people search for information, and how images and videos can be generated – all with a few prompts to a chatbot. What the technology has yet to do, though, is find a preferred form in a physical, everyday gadget. AI largely remains the domain of an app on phones, despite efforts by startups and others to move it into devices. Now OpenAI, the world's leading AI lab, is taking a crack at that riddle. On Wednesday, Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, said the company was paying US$6.5bil (RM27.71bil) to buy io, a one-year-old startup created by Jony Ive, a former top Apple executive who designed the iPhone. The deal, which effectively unites Silicon Valley royalty, is intended to usher in what the two men call 'a new family of products' for the age of artificial general intelligence, or AGI, which is shorthand for a future technology that achieves human-level intelligence. The deal, which is OpenAI's biggest acquisition, will bring in Ive and his team of about 55 engineers, designers and researchers. They will assume creative and design responsibilities across OpenAI and build hardware that helps people better interact with the technology. In a joint interview, Ive and Altman declined to say what such devices could look like and how they might work, but they said they hoped to share details next year. Ive, 58, framed the ambitions as galactic, with the aim of creating 'amazing products that elevate humanity'. 'We've been waiting for the next big thing for 20 years,' Altman, 40, added. 'We want to bring people something beyond the legacy products we've been using for so long.' Altman and Ive are effectively looking beyond an era of smartphones, which have been people's signature personal device since the iPhone debuted in 2007. If the two men succeed – and it is a very big if – they could spur what is known as 'ambient computing'. Rather than typing and taking photographs on smartphones, future devices like pendants or glasses that use AI could process the world in real-time, fielding questions and analysing images and sounds in seamless ways. The Humane A.I. Pin in San Francisco, April 1, 2024. Sam Altman, OpenAI's chief executive, previously invested in Humane. — Andri Tambunan/The New York Times Altman had invested in Humane, a company that pursued this kind of vision with the creation of an AI pin. But the startup folded not long after its product flopped. In their interview, Ive expressed some misgivings with the iPhone and said that had motivated him to team up with Altman. 'I shoulder a lot of the responsibility for what these things have brought us,' he said, referring to the anxiety and distractions that come with being constantly connected to the computer in your pocket. Altman echoed the sentiment. 'I don't feel good about my relationship with technology right now,' he said. 'It feels a lot like being jostled on a crowded street in New York, or being bombarded with notifications and flashing lights in Las Vegas.' He said the goal was to leverage AI to help people make some sense of the noise. Ive, a former top Apple executive who designed the iPhone and is the founder of the tech startup io, said that the goal with OpenAI was to create 'amazing products that elevate humanity'. — Carolyn Fong/The New York Times As part of the deal, Ive and his design studio, LoveFrom, will remain independent and continue to work on projects separate from OpenAI. Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey and Tang Tan, who also founded io with Ive, will become OpenAI's employees and report to Peter Welinder, a vice president of product, who will oversee the io division. The acquisition is a significant windfall for Ive. OpenAI and LoveFrom declined to disclose financial specifics, including whether the US$6.5bil (RM27.71bil) deal would be paid in cash or stock. The deal is subject to regulatory approval. OpenAI already owned a 23% stake in io as part of an agreement between the two companies at the end of last year, two people with knowledge of the deal said, so it is now paying around $5 billion to fully acquire the startup. OpenAI separately has a Startup Fund that invested in Ive's startup last year, the people said. ( The New York Times has sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, for copyright infringement regarding news content related to AI systems. OpenAI and Microsoft have denied the claims.) OpenAI set off the AI boom in late 2022 when it released the ChatGPT chatbot. In March, the startup completed a US$40bil (RM170.50bil) funding that valued it at US$300bil (RM 1.27 trillion) , making it one of the world's most valuable private companies. The fundraising round was led by the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank. As it has grown, OpenAI has struggled to adopt a new corporate structure. Founded in 2015 as a nonprofit organisation, the AI lab has been trying to reinvent itself as a for-profit company so it can more easily raise money from investors. If it does not restructure by the end of the year, SoftBank could halve its investment in the company. That makes the billions that OpenAI is paying for Ive's startup a steep outlay, especially as the startup is also unprofitable. Building the technology that powers ChatGPT and other services is enormously expensive, and OpenAI is under pressure to raise revenues. OpenAI expects about US$3.7bil (RM15.77bil) in sales this year and about US$11.6bil (RM49.44bil) next year, according to financial documents reviewed by the Times . The company is also in talks to acquire Windsurf, an AI-powered programming tool, for about US$3bil (RM12.79bil). Asked how OpenAI would find the money to buy io, Altman said the press worried about OpenAI's funding and revenues more than the company did. 'We'll be fine,' he said. 'Thanks for the concern.' The deal came together after Ive, a protege of Apple's founder, Steve Jobs, who designed the iPod and many other products, became intrigued by AI. He felt somewhat lost after leaving Apple in 2019, he said, and was eager to find his next act. Two years ago, Charlie Ive, one of his 21-year-old twin sons, told him about ChatGPT, Ive said. Curious about his son's excitement over the chatbot, Ive connected with Altman. They became friends. Ive said he was so enamored with the technology that he founded io last year with several peers to conceptualise new hardware products suited to AI. By early this year, it became clear that he and Altman wanted to form a partnership to work on a new generation of devices, he said. Ive said the partnership was not being led by a fiscal imperative but from a place of building products that 'benefit humanity'. 'I believe everything I've done in my career was leading to this,' he said. – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OpenAI buys AI hardware startup from famed iPhone designer Jony Ive for nearly $6.5 billion
Sam Altman's OpenAI is buying an AI hardware startup from former Apple design chief Jony Ive. Ive's startup, io, will work with OpenAI's research, engineering, and product teams. The deal is valued at nearly $6.5 billion. Sam Altman's OpenAI announced on Wednesday that it is buying a hardware startup called io from Jony Ive, the former Apple exec who led the design of the iPhone and other iconic products. The deal is valued at nearly $6.5 billion, a spokesperson confirmed to BI. Ive and his design firm, LoveFrom, began working with Altman and OpenAI two years ago before he founded the AI hardware startup one year later with Scott Cannon, Tang Tan, and Evans Hankey. Ive left Apple in 2019 after nearly 30 years at the company. Now, io will merge with OpenAI to "work more intimately with the research, engineering, and product teams in San Francisco," according to a press release. A video of Altman and Ive posted to OpenAI's social media says the two tech titans are teaming up to create a "family of AI products." Sitting in a San Francisco cafe together in the video, Altman says he and Ive started talking two years ago about "what the future of AI and new kinds of computers was going to look like." Ive, who was instrumental to the creation of the iMac and iPhone, was formerly Apple's chief design officer and close collaborator of Steve Jobs, who once called him his "spiritual partner at Apple." After stepping away from his full-time work at Apple, Ive launched LoveFrom with fellow designer Marc Newson. The company counted Apple and Airbnb among its early clients. Ive and LoveFrom will continue to work closely with OpenAI, but will remain independent, according to a company spokesperson. Though Ive was known for his minimalist designs at Apple — think the sleekness of the iPhone — he said recently that he's now in his "ornament era." Ive said during a fireside chat earlier this month that his recent design work has been influenced by a wide range of industrial, graphic, and sound designers. Altman, who cofounded OpenAI in 2015, has played a critical role in shifting OpenAI from a nonprofit research project into a $300 billion AI giant competing with the likes of Apple and Google. OpenAI's recent slate of products has focused on AI software, in the form of large language models, reasoning models, image generators, and chatbots. Altman, however, has previously dabbled in the hardware space. The OpenAI CEO invested in Humane, a wearable AI pin that was intended to replace smartphones, but ultimately floundered after poor reviews and sold its assets to HP. Altman's cryptocurrency project, World, is building a new verification network for humans with melon-sized devices called Orbs, which take pictures of the human iris. World said the orb was designed by Ive's first hire at Apple, Thomas Meyerhoffer, who worked closely with the design executive on projects including the iMac. In 2023, Altman, when asked about AI hardware, said he had "no interest in trying to compete with a smartphone." "What AI enables is so fundamentally new," Altman said at the time. "I think it's well worth the effort of talking and thinking about what we can make now. If the answer turned out to be nothing, I would be a little bit disappointed." OpenAI said it planned to share more about what io had been working on next year. Read the original article on Business Insider Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
