OpenAI and designer Jony Ive, formerly of Apple, have encountered difficulties in crafting a screenless artificial intelligence device, as reported by the Financial Times.

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

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

As a reminder, 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 scheduled for release in 2026, but current challenges may delay the launch.