Former design chief Jony Ive is reportedly in talks with Open AI to create an AI-centric device.

The Information recently mentioned that aside from the two figures, Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank is also involved in the discussion. Details are yet to be clear, but if the partnership happens then the device is believed to be a direct competitor to the iPhone. At the moment, Apple has nearly all of its portfolio touching on generative AI but has not created dedicated AI hardware for consumers.

Jony Ive was Apple’s design chief until he made an exit in 2019. He then made his own company, LoveFrom, which is independent and focuses on design for other clients. Ive was believed to have a hand on the 24-inch Mac in 2021 but it could be due to a long development process. Last year, a report claimed that Ive was no longer in partnership with Apple.