Do you like large language models so much that you want one hanging around your neck all the time, watching and listening to everything you encounter, sending info to a big company? No I thought not. But these guys are betting 100 million people will.

What could possibly go wrong?

There's a Wall Street journal article on this, which you can read for free here:

https://archive.is/Sm49P

I'll quote a bit:

"OpenAI CEO Sam Altman gave his staff a preview Wednesday of the devices he is developing to build with former Apple designer Jony Ive, laying out plans to ship 100 million AI “companions” that he hopes will become a part of everyday life.

Altman told employees that they had “the chance to do the biggest thing we’ve ever done as a company here,” he said after announcing OpenAI’s plans to purchase Ive’s startup, named io, and give him an expansive creative and design role. He suggested the $6.5 billion acquisition has the potential to add $1 trillion in value to OpenAI, according to a recording reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

[...]

Altman told OpenAI staff that stealth will be important for their ultimate success to avoid competitors copying the product before it’s ready.

[...]

"Humane, another startup made up of former Apple executives that Altman invested in, sold an “Ai Pin” that failed to catch on with consumers."

I hope this new thing fails badly. Together with the new US "big beautiful bill" banning all regulation of AI for the next 10 years, this is a recipe for disaster. Authoritarian rule with all of us monitored all the time by AI - yes, I can see why that would be popular in some quarters.