OpenAI and designer Jony Ive, formerly of Apple, are facing challenges in creating a screenless device based on artificial intelligence, as reported by the Financial Times.

According to the publication, the companies aim to develop a "pocket-sized screenless device" that will respond to voice commands and visual cues from its environment. However, the team has yet to solve issues related to the device's "personality", privacy protections, and the infrastructure for data processing.

FT sources indicate that the concept involves a constantly active mode, where the device could initiate interactions on its own, but the developers have struggled to achieve stable behavior—specifically, ensuring the device only speaks when appropriate.

It’s worth noting that in May 2025, OpenAI acquired the startup io, founded by Ive and Sam Altman, for $6.5 billion. At that time, Altman stated that Ive's team would help create a "new generation of AI-based computers". The first devices were planned to be unveiled in 2026, but current challenges may delay the launch.