OpenAI could be about to make a major statement in the hardware world, as development surrounding a new potential smartphone could reportedly make apps 'obsolete' by replacing them with a powerful alternative.
Complete integration is the end goal for many AI companies, as the technology in their eyes will be integral to every single aspect of your day to day life to the point where you can't do anything without previously consulting the tech.
We're still a long way from that point, and some question whether a complete takeover is even possible – especially when it comes to the notion of AI achieving full 'sentience' akin to a human – yet the beginning might be closer than you think.
As reported by The Next Web, OpenAI – the parent company behind ChatGPT – is planning to use its world-leading software to branch out into the hardware space with a smartphone that could fundamentally change the game.
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Ever since the first smartphones were released our interaction with technology has become increasingly app-focused, and a surprising number of people don't know how to (or perhaps aren't willing to) interact with something if it doesn't already have a discrete app.
OpenAI's plans could throw all that in the trash, however, as a collaboration with Qualcomm, MediaTek, Luxshare, and Apple design veteran Jony Ive is currently developing a phone capable of making apps 'obsolete'.
The report – which remains within the realms of analysis in lieu of any official confirmation – describes something beyond a traditional smartphone with an AI assistant, and instead a device that has AI at the forefront of everything you do.
AI agents would handle every task that you would otherwise use your phone for, theoretically removing the need for any third-party apps to provide those services in the first place, cutting out the middle man in the process.
The device itself wouldn't necessarily need to be that complex either, as while lighter tasks could be completed within the system's internal hardware, everything else could be offloaded onto the cloud.
So, everything from making a phone call to booking a restaurant would be achieved through the lens of an AI agent without you needing to take any extra steps — and its creators are confident that it'll be a massive success when it releases.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has projected between 300 and 400 million annual shipments if the device proves to be a hit, which is nearly double the amount of iPhones that are sold on a yearly basis.
Current projections also suggest that everything is set to be finalized by the end of this year at the earliest or the first quarter of 2027, with mass production set to start at some point in 2028, indicating that we're still a couple of years away from this being a reality.