Jony Ive's First AI Gadget? Clues Point to a Pen

Speculation about the device comes as tech firms race to produce smart glasses and pendants.

- Parmy Olson

The hottest new collaboration in Silicon Valley is between OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and Mr. Jony Ive, the former Apple designer credited with giving iPhones, Macs, and AirPods their sleek, coveted look.

Mr. Altman bought Mr. Ive's start-up for US$6.5 billion (S$8.3 billion) earlier in 2024, releasing a slickly produced video to tease a new "family" of devices that would let people "use AI to create all sorts of wonderful things."

OpenAI has kept its plans a secret, but here is what we know: The first so-called AI device will not have a screen, and it will not be something you can wear, according to recent filings in an unrelated court case.

It probably won't look anything like the Humane Pin, a pioneering AI gadget that failed spectacularly. So what will it be? My money is on a pen.

Mr. Altman told staff in May that the new device would be able to fit in a pocket or sit on a desk, according to a recording of the meeting reported by The Wall Street Journal.

It will be fully aware of a user's surroundings and act as a "third device" to complement—not replace—their smartphone. It will be unobtrusive.

A pen checks all those boxes. Its familiarity to everyone eliminates a major barrier to adoption, and it would not look out of place on a desk.

Mr. Ive himself has a personal affinity with pens, having built up a personal collection that includes a vintage Montegrappa fountain pen and a Hermès pen designed by Marc Newson.