news

focus on

tencent technology news september 29, according to foreign media reports, apple’s former chief design officer jony ive has confirmed that his design company lovefrom is working with openai and its ceo sam altman ( sam altman) to develop a new artificial intelligence hardware. but they're tight-lipped on details about the hardware, so what exactly is ive building?

ivey often faces good-natured ridicule for his extreme pursuit of tiny details. however, in exploring the mainstream human-computer interface of the future, he is to some extent trying to find a balance between ethics and ambition. although there are still few specific details about the lovefrom and openai cooperation project, its core concept has begun to emerge: it aims to create a product that uses artificial intelligence to reshape the computing experience, which is more socially disruptive than the iphone. small.

the specific form and release schedule of this product have yet to be announced, but it is foreseeable that this device for consumers is expected to seamlessly access services such as chatgpt and dall-e, and its experience may be comparable to apple's latest smart phone the functions are comparable, including voice query, siri interaction, and visual query innovation implemented on iphone 16.

however, not everyone is optimistic. yves béhar, an industrial designer and founder of fuseproject, expressed a different view. he believed: “the current use of smartphones and social mediaaiapplications are nothing more than a continuation of a long-term business model of exploiting consumers. their essence has not broken away from the framework of the attention economy, and their contribution to social progress is limited. he questioned efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into daily communications and social media, arguing that it was more of a re-invented approach. "

one of the compelling mysteries in lovefrom’s collaboration with openai is whether this future product will exist as a standalone device or as part of a system of connected components. this question is even more crucial given that accessories such as the humane ai pin and rabbit r1 have failed to gain a foothold in the market. lovefrom has remained silent on this matter, fueling speculation.

regarding the product's technical architecture, a core question is: will the product require built-in processing power to perform some or all of its functions, or will it rely primarily on cloud computing? this decision is not only related to product performance and efficiency, but also profoundly affects the trend of industrial design and user interface (ui), which in turn affects the formulation of security and privacy policies.

another major design challenge faced by ivey is whether the main equipment should be equipped with a display screen, and if so, how to set its form and function. according to people familiar with the matter, the cooperation with openai seems to provide an opportunity to explore "less screen-reliant" interaction methods, and many innovative ideas are being actively discussed. this trend is reminiscent of the concepts of ambient computing, ubiquitous computing, and even the internet of things, which appear to be leading new directions in technological development.

with multiple successful cases in which he participated in the design, such as embodied's moxie companion robot, elliq's elderly care assistant, and happiest baby's robotic cradle, bahar explained how artificial intelligence devices can meet "specific human needs by solving practical problems." ". he emphasized: “these products integrate intelligent experiences directly into physical entities, rather than relying solely on smartphones, thereby reducing people’s over-reliance on personal devices and creating a more harmonious and non-destructive way of social interaction. "

last week, ive presented degrees to graduates of the royal college of art and imperial college london at london's royal festival hall, a move that underscored his esteemed status as a design icon. stephen green, director of the two universities’ joint innovation design engineering program, praised ive for his ability to integrate and sublimate the various experiments in the post-smartphone era and screenless design that have emerged over the past decade. the results cover cutting-edge technologies such as voice assistants, wearable devices, bluetooth beacons, signal processing and even olfactory sensors.

looking back at history, green pointed out that the secret to the success of apple and jobs was: a technologically forward-looking marketing leader, working with an excellent team and investors to turn the vision into reality. he firmly believes that ive is such a leader who combines many success factors. with the full support of his team, he can gather amazing energy and create an unprecedented chapter of innovation. because there are currently many mature technologies and unlimited possibilities ready to go, just waiting for ivey and others to lead the way.

artificial intelligence iphone

the initially rumored idea of ​​an "artificial intelligence iphone" heralded a super device designed to make cutting-edge technology accessible, and its influence may be comparable to the birth of the iphone. the core components of any revolutionary system created by lovefrom and openai are likely to become a new benchmark in the smartphone market, challenging and reshaping the industry landscape. in the past, ivey has commented on phenomena such as social confusion, screen dependence, and social media addiction.

ivey admits he has limited his children's screen time. when attending the event in 2018, he said: "the double-edged sword characteristic of innovation is that its consequences are difficult to fully foresee. experience tells me that this may bring surprises, but it may also be accompanied by unsatisfactory shadows."

anjan katta, founder of daylight, is also an innovator committed to breaking technology conventions. his dc-1 tablet features a unique 60 frames/second paper display, challenging the limitations of traditional smartphones. limit. he pointed out that harmful elements such as blue light, flicker and addiction in current technological products are quietly eroding our physical and mental health. he said: “as someone who has experienced the negative effects of technology, including eye strain, circadian rhythm disruption, increased symptoms of adhd, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, i am a full advocate for the creation of personal computing devices that do not overly consume our time and energy. "

this potential shift in human-computer interaction models undoubtedly provides ive with a valuable opportunity to use forward-looking pro-social concepts to examine and improve some of the chaos accumulated in the consumer technology field over the past two decades. , including the part he himself participated in shaping. craig bunyan, associate director of creative technology at strategic design agency seymourpowell, said: "i don't think ive is trying to atone, but looking to the future, because the industrial design of the device itself is not a negative influence of social media culture. the root cause is not the promoter of anonymous hate speech.”

we may be standing at a crossroads similar to the beginning of the rise of smartphones, facing major changes in human-computer interaction models. the potential of ai-driven systems such as voice control, environmental notifications and situation-aware responses that bunyan mentioned heralds a new mode of interaction that is more natural and does not require continuous conscious interaction. ivey has shown a strong interest in this. what he pursues is the harmonious symbiosis between technology and the rhythm of human life, rather than a simple stacking of technologies.

his colleague mariel brown further enriched this discussion by advocating for the integration of french cultural concepts of "smartness" into the design of generative ai, emphasizing flexibility in social situations. the importance of the ability to cope is important in increasing the value of virtual assistants. this is not only a requirement for technical functionality, but also a profound consideration of technical ethics and human concerns. she noted that these systems need to balance convenience with individual autonomy.

when discussing how artificial intelligence can be personified and realize its potential in the real world, we can’t help but think of the scene in spike jonze’s movie “her”, although we also know that real-world systems probably more composed of exquisite hardware and almost invisible accessories. for innovative companies like lovefrom, we hope that their vision will include a future like that depicted in a24’s hit series sunny, where “home robots” have become a part of everyday life.

the assistant robot in "sunny" was built by wētā workshop for producer katie robbins. its charm lies not only in its exquisite appearance, but also in the powerful behind-the-screen computing capabilities behind it. this design philosophy coincides with the retro-futuristic flip handheld device launched by rashida jones’ suzie, which cleverly integrates the charging case function of smart headphones to achieve real-time translation and image video seamlessly. seamless transmission to home projectors and other functions provide users with an unprecedented convenient experience.

the device's design aesthetic is inspired by japanese lighters from the 1960s, while its electronic display mimics traditional shoji screens, retaining a retro charm without losing a technological feel. what is particularly worth mentioning is that from subtleties such as earbud charging to the application of non-traditional laser projectors, every design demonstrates unique creativity and ingenuity, making the entire product experience completely new and beyond the traditional technology products. category.

lovefrom’s journey of innovation

when digging into lovefrom’s catalog for more clues, the two core concepts of modularity and sustainability seem to be the two throughlines of its work to date. this concept is fully demonstrated in the high-end outdoor clothing series launched by lovefrom in collaboration with moncler, which includes jackets, down jackets, parkas and ponchos. one jacket in particular, worth over $2,000, is innovatively cut from a single piece of fabric and equipped with magnetic aluminum, steel and brass buttons that are key to connecting modular interior and exterior components.

in addition, lovefrom also brought unprecedented interior innovation to ferrari, integrating the digital "touch" technology of apple watch into luxury cars, and even customized a steering wheel prototype for ferrari's owner, the agnelli family.

looking back on the development history of lovefrom, ive has been working with marc newson and his team in the field of luxury design cooperation for five years, from the limited edition linn sondek lp-12 record player to the coronation badge of king charles iii. to the design of the lovefrom headquarters in san francisco architectural projects, each project has won widespread praise in the industry for its unique perspective and exquisite craftsmanship. ivey’s ultimate pursuit of details, from lovefrom’s unique long serif font to every carefully crafted design element, makes people deeply feel his unremitting pursuit of perfection.

as for lovefrom’s relationship with apple, although the specific details are unclear, apple is rumored to be one of lovefrom’s early customers. when ive left apple, he attracted a group of outstanding talents to follow him, including the well-known industrial designer newsom, as well as former apple vice president of industrial design evans hankey (evans hankey) and vice president of product design tang tan, who are now all joined this mysterious artificial intelligence device startup.

stephen green of imperial college london notes that ivey and newson have built a unique culture at lovefrom that blends the freedom of a research lab with the rigor of approach. he said: "ivey's growth was deeply influenced by his father, a design and technology teacher, which gave him a strong hands-on ability and a unique perspective on the physical world, which made him inseparable from hardware design. at the same time, he also has a deep understanding of the potential of human psychomotor skills, especially the subtle connection between touch and perception, and how this connection affects our behavior and thinking.”

close relationship with apple

green emphasizes that this philosophy is critical to developing responsible ai hardware. he explains: “we are committed to unlocking this potential through ultra-fast low-fidelity prototyping in the early stages of product development. we are able to simulate autonomous interfaces, role-play, and actually test concepts that would otherwise be inaccessible in traditional academic discussions. . this practical approach puts lovefrom at the forefront of the industry in promoting artificial intelligence ethics and hardware innovation.”

ive has revealed that so far he has recruited about 10 employees for the newly formed artificial intelligence hardware company, and professional social platforms such as linkedin have also revealed that more people may join lovefrom, such as apple’s former ui design director chris wilson, who participated in the design of lovefrom’s iconic serif font; veteran apple designer cc wan si wan, who has more than 15 years of human-computer interface design experience; and apple watch’s design manager kevin will chen for 9 years. in addition, former apple interface and industrial designers (biotz natera olalde), jon gomez and joe luxton, as well as former nest user interface designer mike matas ) and other heavyweights have also joined in, forming a luxurious lineup comparable to the apple team.

not only that, lovefrom has also attracted many top talents to join in many key departments such as operations, talent development, production and communication. indeed, lovefrom has shown impressive strength and potential. it not only brings together many apple-level top talents, but also has sufficient funds like apple. the company plans to raise us$1 billion. moreover, with the participation of ultraman, lovefrom’s ambitions are even closer to those of apple.

regarding the future of artificial intelligence, daylight's anjan katta believes: "artificial intelligence has the potential to become a catalyst for the rapid evolution of modern computers, but it may also exacerbate its addiction, overstimulation, and zombification trends. if computing the essence of artificial intelligence is distorted, and artificial intelligence may even become a spiritual weapon, which will have a profound impact on human society.”

katta added: "conceiving and building a completely new computer means completely abandoning the old framework, thinking deeply and closely adapting to human needs and aspirations. when such a computer is integrated with artificial intelligence, it will no longer be just tools, but to become an amplifier of the glory of our humanity, to avoid becoming a factor that weakens humanity. i am deeply excited that ive not only leads the innovation of artificial intelligence, but also shapes a new computing concept on this basis, aiming to creating a more human-like computer experience.”

the essence of apple’s culture lies in its extraordinary ability to tell stories, and ive and lovefrom are no exception. from the launch of the moncler collection to cross-border cooperation with traditional brands, from the creativity of the animated montgomery bear logo to the design as detailed as buttons, each story contains a deep understanding of care, craftsmanship and management, and together they weave a a picture of elegant subversion of traditional norms in the technology industry. according to reports, customers generously pay lovefrom up to $200 million a year just to obtain these rare qualities that are difficult to replicate.

these principles also provide valuable guidance for the future development of cutting-edge technology organizations such as openai. the key lies in adhering to the flexible strategy of "acting quickly and being brave enough to make breakthroughs" while adhering to the iterative spirit of meticulousness and excellence. the two complement each other and jointly promote technological innovation into a new era that is more humane, efficient and creative. (compiled/golden deer)