Latest news with #ex-Apple
NZ Herald
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Sir Elton John set to perform at Steve Jobs' daughter's lavish wedding
'He will play a selection of his songs, including some of Eve and Harry's favourites. 'A concert from Elton doesn't come cheap. Apparently they've forked out over £1 million to have him perform. 'It's going to be incredibly special.' The couple – who began dating in 2022 and announced their engagement last September – have reportedly got quite the guest list for their 'upper-class English luxury with a cool, modern American vibe' wedding, which Eve and Harry have reportedly co-worked with celebrity events planner Stanlee Gatti, 69, to organise. Eve Jobs announced her engagement to British showjumping gold medallist Harry Charles in September. Photo / Getty Images It is claimed the former Democrat First Lady Kamala Harris, 60 – who is said to be very good friends with Laurence – will be attending, as well as Bruce Springsteen's daughter, American equestrian Jessica Springsteen, 33, and ex-Apple designer Sir Jony Ive, 58. The insider said: 'Kamala Harris, who ran for the [US] presidency last year, is very close friends with Laurene and is on the guest list. Kamala Harris is expected to attend the wedding. Photo / Getty Images 'This is a very quiet place, not far from the Cotswolds. Everyone is used to tourists and famous faces, but this is something else. 'The wedding is being planned like a military operation,' our insider said. 'The itinerary is scheduled so precisely, with guests starting to arrive all this week before the wedding celebrations begin on Thursday. 'Kamala and Bill Gates' daughters, Phoebe and Jennifer, are all on the VIP guest list. Bill Gates' daughter, Jennifer Gates, will also attend Eve Jobs' wedding. Photo / via Instagram 'Matt Helders from the Arctic Monkeys has been invited, too. It's an eclectic mix of stars and will be like a 'who's who' of the rich and famous. 'There are a lot of important American political figures going to be there. No doubt they'll all be Googling each other.' Eve's siblings – her brother Reed Jobs, 33, sister Erin Jobs, 29, and half-sister Lisa Brennan-Jobs, 47, who Steve had with his first wife Chrisann Brennan, 70 – are also expected to attend their wedding, with Harry's dad, London 2012 team jumping gold medallist Peter Charles, 65, and his close and extended family. A nearby village will go on lockdown from Wednesday – the day guests will reportedly fly into Oxford airport on their private jets, with helicopters on the ground ready to whisk them to the secret estate where Eve and Harry will say 'I do'. The source said: 'Eve and Harry's wedding is like a multimillion-pound fairy tale. 'It's a society wedding like no other, and it's turning rural Oxfordshire upside down. 'The sleepy village in which it's taking place feels like it's turning into a no-go zone, with secret service operatives and blokes who look like they work for the FBI.' One of the extravagant wedding venues in the Cotswolds. Photo / Getty Images And the insider claimed Eve, Harry, and Stanlee's organised event will be a wedding like no other. They added: 'Every final detail of the big day has been signed off by Eve and Harry, but this is Stanlee's baby. 'It's the meeting of two soulmates from across the Atlantic, and that will be reflected in the wedding, too. 'The vibe is upper-class English luxury with a cool, modern American vibe. It's going to be like nothing anyone at the wedding has experienced before.'
Qatar Tribune
13-07-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Forget smart glasses, how about smart jewellery?
Agencies Samsung is looking into new wearable devices, potentially including earrings and necklaces, amid an industry-wide push to develop new types of AI-powered consumer electronics. AI could enable a new wave of devices that allow users to communicate and get things done more quickly without having to take out a phone, Won-joon Choi, chief operating officer for Samsung's mobile experience division, told CNN this week. For Samsung, these types of new devices could be something you wear around your neck, dangle from your ears or slip on your finger. 'We believe it should be wearable, something that you shouldn't carry, (that) you don't need to carry,' he said. 'So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings and sometimes (a) necklace.' Choi's comments underscore the opportunity tech giants see to develop new hardware products around AI, a technology that some say is expected to be as impactful as the internet itself. AI services like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini have moved beyond basic text prompts and are getting better at handling complex tasks. That's led tech giants to look into devices that require less manual input than smartphones, which largely require typing and swiping on screens. That search is already in full swing, starting with smart glasses. Meta has touted its AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses, of which 2 million have been sold since 2023, as a success. The Facebook parent also recently acquired a minority stake in Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica, according to Bloomberg, further indicating the company's interest in AI-powered wearable gadgets. Samsung, Google and Snap are also developing smart glasses, while OpenAI and ex-Apple designer Jony Ive are collaborating on a mysterious new AI device for next year. On whether Samsung is actively looking into developing earrings or other smart jewelry, like a pendant or bracelet, Choi said the company is 'looking at all kinds of possibilities'. 'What do you wear? Glasses, earrings… necklaces, watches and rings, something like those,' he said. However, that doesn't mean those possibilities will become products. Samsung and other tech companies routinely develop prototypes and evaluate new technologies internally without bringing them to market. Some tech startups have already unsuccessfully tried to develop new AI gadgets to replace smartphones at certain tasks. The Humane AI Pin, created by a pair of Apple veterans, flopped because of its high price and buggy performance. The company shut down the product and sold parts of itself to computing giant HP in February. Another device called the Rabbit R1 also launched to a lackluster reception last year, although it's undergone significant updates since then. And a startup called Friend created an AI necklace that's meant to be a digital companion, although its launch has been delayed until the third quarter of this year. Samsung's approach, unlike some of these options, will involve a device that's a companion to your phone rather than a standalone product, similar to the company's smartwatches, according to Choi. And the company's upcoming smart glasses, which it hasn't revealed many details about yet, could be just the start. 'We are actively working on glasses, but some people do not want to wear glasses because they change their look,' he said. 'So we are also exploring other types of devices.'
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Meta's shocking $200 million offer to this Apple AI engineer is blowing minds — meet Ruoming Pang
Who is Ruoming Pang? The ex-Apple AI genius Meta just poached with a mind-blowing $200 million offer Live Events Why did Meta offer over $200 million to Ruoming Pang? What is Meta's new superintelligence team and who else has joined? Nat Friedman, former CEO of GitHub Daniel Gross, founder of AI startup Cue Alexandr Wang, co-founder of Scale AI, who joined Meta as Chief AI Officer after Meta acquired a 49% stake in Scale AI, valued at $14.3 billion How does Meta structure its $100M+ AI hiring packages? A base salary (undisclosed but substantial) Cash signing bonuses, especially high if the recruit is walking away from unvested startup equity A heavy emphasis on Meta stock, tied to milestones like annual stock growth Is Meta winning the AI talent war over OpenAI and Google? What does this mean for AI talent compensation going forward? Meta hired Apple's Ruoming Pang with a package worth over $200 million Stock-based compensation is tied to performance metrics and long-term contracts Meta's AI lab includes big names like Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, and Alexandr Wang Signing bonuses have reached $100 million, according to OpenAI's CEO The AI talent war is driving compensation to levels that rival major CEOs FAQs: Q1: Why did Meta offer $200 million to Apple's AI engineer? (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a bold move signaling just how fierce the AI talent war has become, Meta Platforms Inc. has hired Ruoming Pang, a top engineer from Apple Inc., with a stunning compensation package exceeding $200 million. Pang, who previously led Apple's AI models team, is the latest high-profile addition to Meta's Superintelligence team, a division focused on building advanced AI systems capable of performing tasks as well as — or better than — package is one of the largest ever offered to a tech engineer, rivaling pay typically reserved for Fortune 500 CEOs. While Apple chose not to counter Meta's offer, the massive figure highlights how the race to dominate AI is reshaping tech industry hiring Pang is a renowned AI researcher and engineer who has quietly shaped the future of artificial intelligence at some of the world's biggest tech companies. Holding a PhD from Princeton University, Pang previously worked at Google, where he contributed to major AI systems like the Lingvo speech framework and Zanzibar, a global authorization system used across Google's 2021, he joined Apple and quickly rose to lead the company's Foundation Models team—spearheading breakthrough features such as Genmoji, on-device AI for personalized notifications, and a significantly more intelligent Siri. He managed a team of over 100 engineers focused on building large language models and generative AI, putting him at the center of Apple's quiet but ambitious AI Pang is making headlines after reportedly accepting a staggering $200 million+ multi-year compensation package from Meta. The deal, which includes salary, signing bonuses, and a massive equity component, is part of Mark Zuckerberg's bold push to dominate the AI race through the company's new Superintelligence strategic talent raid has seen the company poach high-level AI minds from Apple, OpenAI, and Google, with Pang being one of the most prized hires yet. Industry insiders note that Apple didn't attempt to match Meta's offer—reportedly even higher than CEO Tim Cook's total compensation—further emphasizing Pang's value and the urgency with which Meta is building its next-gen AI aggressive push into superintelligent AI systems has led to extraordinary pay deals. Pang's package reportedly includes a large base salary, a significant signing bonus, and a bulk of Meta stock, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg. The stock portion is designed to vest over a longer-than-usual timeframe and is tied to Meta's performance offers far exceed Apple's typical executive pay, with the exception of CEO Tim Cook. Apple didn't attempt to match Meta's bid, which insiders say was simply too high by Apple's compensation superintelligence lab (MSL) has quickly become a magnet for top-tier AI talent. In addition to Pang, the team includes:This team is tasked with building AI systems that can rival or surpass human cognitive abilities. And Meta isn't just hiring — it's investing in partnerships, equity deals, and multi-year stock-based compensation structures to build loyalty and long-term packages are not straightforward salaries. According to sources, the deals include:In most cases, employees sign on for longer than the typical 4-year vesting schedule, meaning they earn full value only if they stay for several years and meet aggressive performance OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently criticizing Meta's aggressive tactics — even mentioning Meta was offering signing bonuses as high as $100 million — Meta has already hired over 10 OpenAI researchers, along with talent from Anthropic, Google, and other AI claimed that OpenAI's culture and innovation keep people loyal, but the numbers suggest Meta's offers are proving hard to resist. The rivalry is so heated that Altman and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg haven't spoken since the poaching began. They're expected to cross paths at this week's Allen & Co. conference in Sun a numbers standpoint, Meta's superintelligence compensation packages are rivaling — or even exceeding — the pay of CEOs at major banks and multinational corporations. However, much of this pay is speculative and locked into future stock performance and long-term the message is clear: AI talent is now among the most valuable in the global job market. With Meta, OpenAI, Apple, Google, and others racing to lead the next phase of AI, we're seeing a pay scale reset — where top engineers may become the highest-paid professionals in the AI arms race accelerates, expect tech giants to keep reshaping what 'top dollar' means — and who's earning is investing big in top AI talent to lead its new superintelligence hired experts from Apple, OpenAI, GitHub, Google, and Scale AI.
Mint
24-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
OpenAI and Jony Ive's AI hardware ambitions hit roadblock over trademark dispute: Report
OpenAI has reportedly scrubbed all references to its newly acquired hardware subsidiary, io, from its website this week, following a trademark dispute brought by iyO, a Google-backed start-up developing custom-moulded earpieces billed as 'the world's first audio computer'. According to MacRumors, the legal clash comes after iyO submitted court documents alleging that OpenAI and io were fully aware of its in-ear computing device, even going so far as to request a demonstration. Reportedly, the filings include emails that iyO says prove OpenAI's team was briefed on the start-up's innovation prior to launching its own hardware efforts. You may be interested in OpenAI, which purchased io, a company co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, for a reported $6.5 billion, has not publicly commented on the trademark claims. The AI firm has previously said that the io acquisition could eventually add as much as $1 trillion in value to its business, the report said. In court documents filed on 12 June, io co-founder and ex-Apple hardware executive Tang Tan addressed the accusations, stating that while the company had indeed 'surveyed the existing commercial offerings' in the early stages of development, this included buying over 30 different headphone and earbud models for research purposes. The publication highlights that Tan also clarified that the first product fromio is 'not an in-ear device, nor a wearable device', contradicting earlier speculation from tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo had predicted the device would be worn around the neck like a necklace, but Tan's declaration suggests something quite different and perhaps more elusive. The product, according to the filings, is still 'at least a year away' from being available for purchase. Several media reports have previously hinted that the AI-powered device will likely be pocket-sized, screen-free, and capable of contextual awareness, designed to understand a user's environment and life in real-time. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly described the prototype, tested in private, as 'the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen'.
Hans India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
OpenAI's First AI Device Won't Be Wearable, Launch Delayed to 2026
OpenAI's highly anticipated hardware collaboration with iconic designer Jony Ive is still a work in progress, and recent court documents have offered fresh insights. The device, OpenAI's first foray into physical products, won't be hitting the market before 2026 — and it's definitely not going to be something you wear. According to filings revealed amid a legal dispute with a Google-backed startup called iyO, OpenAI's upcoming AI gadget will neither be a wearable nor an in-ear device. That puts early speculation to rest, which had suggested something similar to smart glasses or the Humane AI Pin. Tang Tan, OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer and a former Apple executive, stated in court, 'It is not an in-ear device, nor a wearable device.' Instead, the device is envisioned to be something that 'fits in your pocket or sits on your desk.' Tan also noted the design is still evolving and that the launch is at least a year away. That hints at a form factor potentially closer to a smart home assistant or portable desktop gadget. The project has been the subject of much intrigue since OpenAI acquired Jony Ive's company, IO Products, for $6.5 billion in May 2025. CEO Sam Altman reportedly told employees the device could become OpenAI's most important product ever, with an ambitious sales target of 100 million units. Despite denying any wearable intentions, internal communications suggest OpenAI was initially interested in ergonomic techniques like ear scanning, which iyO uses to customize its earpieces. One hardware team member even floated the idea of acquiring a database of ear scans. However, Tang Tan ultimately declined iyO's proposals to invest, collaborate, or buy the company for as much as $200 million. In a legal declaration, Evans Hankey, another ex-Apple executive leading design at OpenAI, reaffirmed: 'io has no current plans to offer a custom-moulded earpiece product.' Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has weighed in as well, suggesting that the mystery device may resemble the compact iPod Shuffle and could even be smaller than Humane's AI Pin. He added it likely won't include a screen, instead using built-in cameras and microphones to interact with the environment. Kuo believes the device will pair with smartphones and computers for processing and display, rather than operating entirely independently. He also noted that manufacturing will take place in Vietnam, potentially as a strategy to avoid geopolitical risks tied to China. Investor Laurene Powell Jobs, a backer of both Ive's ventures, reportedly previewed a prototype and described it as 'a wondrous thing to behold.' Ive himself shared that the device 'reignited his optimism about technology,' adding, 'humanity deserves better' than screen-heavy devices. OpenAI had previously shared promotional content about the partnership and acquisition, but it was quietly removed following the trademark complaint by iyO. A spokesperson for Jony Ive dismissed the trademark dispute as 'utterly baseless' and confirmed they plan to contest it in court.
