It had emerged over a year ago that Jony Ive, the former Apple hardware design chief, was collaborating with OpenAI on an AI-powered device, and now the latest reports have spilled the beans on this mysterious AI project, suggesting it could be an AI-integrated pen.
OpenAI’s upcoming gadget is likely to be manufactured by Foxconn, a famous iPhone assembler. The device is expected to function as both “a pen” and “a ‘to-go’ audio device,” according to industry tipster Smart Pikachu.
This description specifies a pen-like device that could transcribe handwritten notes directly into ChatGPT. If it also functions as an audio device, chances are fair that users would engage in two-way communication with ChatGPT through a connected smartphone.
OpenAI’s secret artificial intelligence product is referred to internally as Gumdrop, which the company originally intended to partner with Chinese manufacturer Luxshare. But a dispute over production sites has led OpenAI to consider Foxconn, where production is expected to take place in Vietnam.
As outlined by Android Authority, the device could be built at a Foxconn site in the US, as the ChatGPT manufacturer has facilities in several states.
While stand-alone AI devices have struggled to find a market, with early products such as the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin facing criticism, it is believed that a pen-like device would offer a unique approach.
The notable development is the lack of clarity about whether consumers will embrace dedicated AI hardware, but Gumdrop represents a surprising step into the future of AI integration.
