If you look at every phone released in the past few years, then you’ll notice a common denominator among them: Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short. It’s gone from a neat party trick to a necessary feature that makes users’ lives much easier.
I’m actually surprised that AI companies didn’t already make an AI smartphone, but that will soon be a reality as OpenAI, the powerhouse behind ChatGPT, is reportedly developing a flagship grade smartphone with AI at its core.
A Powerhouse Partnership
It’s no surprise that OpenAI is pulling out all the stops for its first smartphone. If you’re going to make an impression, you might as well give it your all. Aside from that, opting to build a flagship device makes things a bit easier for developers because they no longer have to worry about hardware limitations.
Which is probably why OpenAI is reportedly building its first smartphone in collaboration with Jony Ive, the former legendary Apple design chief, and SoftBank, which is reportedly looking to invest billions into the project.
Why “Flagship” Matters
Like I said, OpenAI opting for a flagship device isn’t just for optics. It’s more of a necessity than extravagance. Since this phone will be a true AI phone, having the horsepower to run Large Language Models, or LLMs, will be very crucial to its success.
And since they’re competing with more established brands like Apple and Samsung, OpenAI’s upcoming phone needs to have a build quality that goes toe to toe with those household names.
What to Expect?
Specs for the upcoming AI phone are still very few and far between, so take everything mentioned here with a grain of salt. Here’s what we’ve gathered so far:
- Operating System: Instead of relying on an icon dependent process, OpenAI’s phone will come installed with a custom “AI OS” that leans heavily on conversational cues.
- Chipset: According to industry insiders, the rumored AI phone will feature a custom-made MediaTek Dimensity 9600 that features a dual-NPU architecture to divide the tasks evenly.
- Design: If the report on Jony Ive’s involvement is true, then we might see a design that focuses on a less intrusive design language. One thing that comes to mind is the device from the movie “Her”.
- Price: It’ll likely exceed the $1000 mark and will be positioned as a luxury productivity tool rather than an accessible smartphone for the masses.
Can it Truly “Rule Them All”?
Possibly, although it’ll be a steep uphill battle. Sure, OpenAI has the software on lockdown, but hardware is still notoriously difficult. Remember the Humane AI Pin or the Rabbit R1? While impressive in their own right, they still struggled to find a foothold because they are trying to replace a form factor that has years under its belt.
By going against that strategy, OpenAI is making its own take that much more palatable to the common folk. With Jony Ive’s hardware elegance coupled with the world’s most advanced AI, it might even be the first device since the original iPhone to truly change how we interact with the digital world.