Latest news with #JonyIve
Arabian Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
OpenAI Set to Disrupt Browser Market with AI-Powered Offering
OpenAI is preparing to unveil a web browser embedded with its flagship ChatGPT interface and 'Operator' AI agent, marking a strategic shift directly targeting Google's Chrome dominance. The forthcoming browser, expected within weeks, promises to streamline browsing by enabling conversational queries, task automation and form-filling without navigating multiple sites, according to Reuters. The browser is built atop Chromium, the open-source foundation behind Chrome, Edge and Opera, ensuring compatibility with current web standards. More significantly, embedding ChatGPT natively allows users to interact through natural language rather than searching and clicking. OpenAI's Operator AI agent will autonomously complete web-based tasks—such as booking reservations, filling out forms or completing orders—on behalf of users. This initiative is part of OpenAI's broader strategy to gain deeper access to user browsing behaviour and data. Google's dominance via Chrome has long served as a rich mine for ad targeting; OpenAI seeks comparable insights by controlling the data pipeline from its own browser. Industry analysts warn, however, that this raises privacy concerns—mirroring criticisms levelled at Chrome itself. ADVERTISEMENT OpenAI's move into the browser space follows its acquisition of hardware startup io, led by former Apple designer Jony Ive, and signals an ambition to build an ecosystem across software, AI agents and devices. The company has also hired Google-alumni engineers behind Chrome's original development, underscoring the seriousness of its challenge. Competition is already intensifying. AI-centric browsers like Perplexity's Comet, Brave, and The Browser Company's Dia have emerged in recent months—all built on Chromium and offering similar capabilities. The rise of these products reflects a trend toward 'agentic' browsing experiences, where browsers act as intelligent intermediaries and perform tasks autonomously. Should even a fraction of ChatGPT's 500 million weekly users adopt OpenAI's browser, Alphabet's ad-reliant Chrome business could face significant pressure. Chrome holds over two-thirds of global browser market share—roughly three billion users—while Safari trails at around 16 %. With the U. S. Department of Justice already urging Chrome's divestiture amid antitrust proceedings, OpenAI's entry adds further complexity. Internally, this push aligns with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's vision for embedding AI throughout daily life. Launching the browser gives the company a platform to integrate its services, including deep research tools and agentic capabilities. Indeed, the browser's release follows the launch of Operator in January, now available in limited preview. Privacy advocates caution that capturing browsing data through a proprietary AI browser could pose risks. OpenAI emphasises safety and data protections in its materials, and Agent workloads run within controlled environments. The firm has also signalled openness to purchasing Chrome outright if required by antitrust enforcement—though Google has not indicated any intention to sell. Perceptions in tech communities are mixed. Some Redditors argue it may be unwise for OpenAI to challenge Google directly, while others see the opportunity to reshape search and browsing as an advantage. One user commented, 'I don't think launching a browser is a bad move… there will be room in this market for more big players'. As OpenAI readies its release, key uncertainties remain: how it will address data privacy, whether its user interface will attract mass adoption, and how Google will respond. With launch imminent, the browser could well catalyse a new phase in the evolution of web interaction—one powered by conversational AI and autonomous agents.
Fast Company
4 days ago
- Fast Company
Why the AI pin won't be the next iPhone
One of the most frequent questions I've been getting from business execs lately is whether the AI pin will become the next great tech device. After all, with OpenAI recently finalizing its acquisition of Io Products, the AI hardware design firm led by legendary former Apple designer Jony Ive, it looks like we'll soon see the next great interface: a voice-activated, lapel-pin-size AI device that's a successor to the smartphone. And won't it be a better, calmer form of technology, they ask me, freeing us from having to stare at a small screen in our hands? No. In a world teeming with intelligent interfaces, the AI pin chooses to be dumb — not technically, but emotionally, socially, and spatially. The core failure of the AI pin genre isn't technical, but conceptual. But seemingly no one involved or interested in the form factor has stopped to ask: Is a chest pin even a good interface? Not questioning this is to ignore decades of interaction design: that good form emerges from use, from behavior, from affordance. Here's what I mean. The Narrative Inertia and Unanswered Questions Behind the AI Pin To begin with, there are a number of very real questions with this new form factor yet to be plausibly answered, including: Can you hear it in the wind or while in a crowd? Can others around you tell if it's listening? What new social cues does it produce? How do you use it while walking, biking, cooking, parenting, holding a coffee, working in a noisy office, standing in line, or going on a date? What does it feel like to wear something that's constantly watching, blinking, and projecting? By all appearances, the AI pin concept wasn't born out of ergonomic study, social anthropology, or material intuition. It was born out of narrative inertia — the idea that because voice agents exist, and because wearables exist, the next logical step is to wear a voice agent. The Problem With 'Invisible' Interfaces Another driver of the AI pin's narrative inertia is the concept of the 'invisible interface'—the belief that our computing is best served through a device we don't have to see, but that seamlessly responds to our stated wishes. This vision has a long history, starting with voice-based computers in science fiction (more on that below); its conceptual stickiness was further strengthened with the launch of Siri and other voice-activated assistants in the 2010s. As a design goal, 'invisibility' is best understood through a famous quote by Xerox PARC's Mark Weiser (though it's easy to misinterpret): 'A good tool is an invisible tool. . . . By invisible, we mean that the tool does not intrude on your consciousness; you focus on the task, not the tool.' The second part of the quote tells all. It's not about the device itself being invisible, but the act of usage rendering it invisible. For instance, when we use a hammer, we focus on the nail, not the hammer. To a good woodworker, the very act of using the hammer renders it invisible. In my experience across countless design and tech conferences, the notion of an 'invisible' interface quickly becomes a very powerful semantic black hole. Once people start hearing the term, they can't see anything other than it, and their minds (and design practices) auto-complete to it, instead of considering other formats such as physical buttons and other familiar technologies. Invisible technologies lack the feedback that people need to develop a relationship with them. Your mind has to make up for the invisibility in other ways, adding a cognitive strain and microfriction to their usage. If you have voice-controlled lights in your house, for instance, you have to remember what you taught Alexa to call them—the 'upstairs lights' or something else? Imagine having a conversation like this with an AI pin all day, across many topics! If design is governance, making an interface invisible takes away agency and ensures that design choices are far removed from the people who use it. Which takes us to the sci-fi culprit behind the AI pin. Truthy Tech vs. Track Record When product developers assume pins are a natural form factor for ambient computing, they must then reverse-engineer behavior, trust, and social rituals to support it. They think the form factor will look so cool that it will just work, and address none of the cultural aspects. It's yet another variation of what I call ' truthy tech ': products or concepts that are exciting at first glance, usually because they resemble props from sci-fi TV shows and movies, but that quickly lose their luster when real-world considerations creep in. In other words, the AI pin may seem inevitable because for decades, we've watched characters on the Star Trek series communicate with each other and the ship's computer through the ComBadges on their uniforms. It's easy to forget that the ComBadge is only designed to be visually exciting and help advance the show's storyline, and not actually to be functional. As a real-life consumer device, however, nearly a dozen pin-based devices have come and gone over the years without gaining mass adoption—from 2003's SenseCam by Microsoft (promoted by famed tech pioneer Gordon Bell) to 2024's Humane AI Pin, which imploded despite $240 million in funding. Ive and the Search for a New Steve Jobs-Level Visionary I should stress that none of this is meant as a criticism of Jonny Ive. He is an amazing supply chain innovator who thrived in Apple's halcyon days. But his best work was always done alongside a genuine visionary. And it is very debatable if Sam Altman can ever fill Silicon Valley's conspicuous Steve Jobs-shaped absence. In any case, the likeliest form factor for a wearable AI device is one that already exists and has been integrated into our daily lives: the earbud-type AirPods. Rather than assume Altman can somehow completely transform culture enough that we will want to interact with artificial intelligence through a lapel pin, it makes far more sense to expect a future where the AI program is connected to our iPhones and AirPods.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
OpenAI Set to Launch AI-Powered Browser, Threatening Google Chrome's Market Stronghold
In a potential game-changer for the digital world, OpenAI is preparing to unveil its own AI-powered web browser—an innovation that could significantly challenge Google Chrome's dominance. As reported by Reuters, this new browser will incorporate ChatGPT-like capabilities, turning everyday browsing into a dynamic, AI-led experience. Sources close to the development say the browser may launch within weeks. OpenAI's goal is to shift internet usage from traditional, passive navigation toward an active, assistant-driven model. Imagine having an AI handle tasks like booking flights, filling out online forms, or even completing purchases—all within the browser. This shift could have major consequences for Google. Chrome plays a crucial role in Alphabet's $200 billion ad business, serving as a primary channel for collecting user data and driving traffic to Google Search, which is set as the default engine for most Chrome users. With over 3 billion users globally, Chrome helps power the algorithms that target ads with precision. Nearly 75% of Alphabet's revenue comes from advertising, much of it tied directly to this ecosystem. However, OpenAI's browser could reroute user behaviour. By integrating AI agents that perform tasks and provide information directly through a chat interface, users may no longer need to visit websites or conduct traditional searches—undermining Google's core business model. A key feature of the browser is its use of OpenAI's internal tools like Operator, which can take actions on the user's behalf. This includes making restaurant reservations, navigating web pages, and executing transactions, moving toward a future where the internet is experienced through proactive AI agents rather than clicks and searches. Although OpenAI is entering Google's territory, it's building this browser on Chromium, Google's own open-source browser engine. Chromium also powers Microsoft Edge and Opera. Interestingly, OpenAI has hired two former Google vice presidents who were instrumental in developing Chrome, underscoring the company's ambition to take on Google with experienced insiders. This move also comes at a delicate moment for Google. The tech giant is under pressure from U.S. regulators after a 2023 court ruling declared Alphabet held an unlawful monopoly in online search. The Department of Justice has even proposed a divestiture of Chrome. During recent legal proceedings, an OpenAI executive hinted at the company's interest in acquiring Chrome if that ever became a real possibility. OpenAI is not alone in the AI browser race. Competitors like Perplexity have launched Comet, while Brave and The Browser Company have also introduced smart browsing features powered by AI. Yet, OpenAI's 500 million weekly ChatGPT users give it a formidable advantage when it comes to rapid adoption. This browser launch is also part of a broader vision. OpenAI recently acquired io, an AI hardware company led by Apple's former design head, Jony Ive, in a $6.5 billion deal—signaling its intention to build a seamless AI ecosystem across software and devices. As AI continues to blur the line between assistant and user, OpenAI's bold step into web browsing may mark the start of a new internet era—one that's interactive, intelligent, and possibly free from Google's long-standing grip.
Gulf Insider
4 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Insider
OpenAI To Launch New Web Browser To Challenge Google Chrome Dominance: Report
OpenAI's browser is designed to keep some user interactions within a ChatGPT-like native chat interface instead of directing users to websites. OpenAI is reportedly preparing to release an AI-powered web browser that will compete with Alphabet's Google Chrome, Reuters said, citing three sources familiar with the matter. The browser is scheduled to launch in the coming weeks and will use artificial intelligence to change how consumers browse the web. The development will give OpenAI access to user data, which has been central to Google's success, the report said. If adopted by the 500 million weekly active users of ChatGPT, OpenAI's browser could pressure a component of rival Google's advertising revenue stream. Chrome supports Alphabet's advertising business, which generates nearly three-quarters of its revenue, by providing user information to help target advertisements and routing search traffic to Google's search engine by default, the report said. OpenAI's browser is also designed to keep some user interactions within a ChatGPT-like native chat interface instead of directing users to websites. The browser forms part of OpenAI's strategy to integrate its services across consumers' personal and work lives, one source said. Led by entrepreneur Sam Altman, OpenAI disrupted the technology industry with the launch of its AI chatbot ChatGPT in late 2022. Following its success, OpenAI has faced competition from rivals including the search engine company and startup Anthropic, and is seeking new areas of growth. In May, OpenAI said it would enter the hardware domain, paying $6.5 billion to buy io, an AI devices startup from Apple's former design chief, Jony Ive. OpenAI declined to comment, the Reuters report said.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Nvidia world's first firm to reach $4-trn mcap
San Francisco: Silicon Valley chipmaker Nvidia on Wednesday became the first publicly traded company to surpass a $4-trillion market valuation, putting the latest exclamation point on the investor frenzy surrounding an artificial intelligence boom powered by its industry-leading processors. The milestone reflects the upheaval being unleashed by artificial intelligence, or AI, which is widely viewed as the biggest tectonic shift in technology since Apple co—founder Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone 18 years ago. Underscoring the changing of the guard, AI bellwether Nvidia is now worth $900 billion more than Apple, which rode the iPhone's success to become the first publicly traded company to valued at $1 trillion, $2 trillion and eventually, $3 trillion. Meanwhile, Indian capital market's valuation was over $5 trillion. The market capitalization (mcap) of BSE-listed companies was $5.38 trn on Thursday (July10, 2025). Nvidia's rise as come as Apple has struggled to deliver on its ambitions to infuse the iPhone and other products with more AI with an array of new features that included a more than year-old promise to smarten up its often bumbling virtual assistant Apple acknowledged last month that delivering on its AI vision is going to take until at least next year, leading some industry analysts to wonder if the company will have to acquire an AI start-up to regain momentum. In the meantime, former Apple design guru JonyIve has joined forces with OpenAI to work on a wearable AI device that could challenge the iPhone while Nvidia has been scrambling to meet the feverish demand for its specialized chips that power the energy-intensive data centres underlying artificial intelligence. And tech giants Microsoft, Amazon, Google parent Alphabet and Facebook parent Meta Platforms are upping the AI ante too, collectively budgeting about $325 billion for investments in the technology this year — with a significant amount of that money likely to flow into Nvidia's coffers.
