AllYouCanTech

Court Records Uncover OpenAI’s AI Hardware Initiative in Collaboration with Jony Ive, Confirming It Is Not a Wearable Gadget

**OpenAI’s Legal Struggles and Upcoming Hardware Innovations: Perspectives from Recent Court Documents**

As OpenAI contends with a trademark lawsuit regarding its recently discontinued “io” branding, newly disclosed court documents offer an extraordinary glimpse into the operations of Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s hardware division. The lawsuit, brought forth by iyO, a startup backed by Google, argues that OpenAI’s branding closely resembles its own, leading to a deeper investigation of the company’s hardware aspirations.

### ‘Neither an in-ear device nor a wearable item’

Recent disclosures from *The Verge* and *Bloomberg* underline that the legal contention centers around OpenAI’s io Products, Inc. Internal communications reveal that OpenAI representatives, including Tang Tan, the Chief Hardware Officer and a former Apple executive, interacted with iyO’s CEO, Jason Rugolo, to discuss iyO’s in-ear product innovations. However, these discussions reportedly did not generate positive feedback, with OpenAI’s team expressing disappointment following several product showcases.

Despite legal claims that OpenAI’s upcoming AI product is neither an in-ear nor a wearable device, the company has dedicated considerable resources to studying the headphone and audio device sectors. According to Tan’s court testimony, the design of the product, which Altman has described as portable and suitable for desk use, remains under development and is expected to be at least a year away from release.

### OpenAI’s Focus on In-ear Comfort

Although OpenAI asserts that its product will not be classified as an in-ear device, internal correspondence indicates a strong interest in iyO’s cutting-edge 3D ear-scanning technology. This technique enables the customization of earpieces to match individual users, which piqued the interest of Marwan Rammah, a former Apple engineer now associated with io. Rammah suggested acquiring a database of ear scans from iyO’s supplier to improve ergonomic design elements.

iyO has actively sought to transform OpenAI’s interest into a more significant partnership, with investment or acquisition proposals going as high as $200 million. However, Tan ultimately turned down these offers, signifying a deliberate choice to focus on independent development.

Evans Hankey, another ex-Apple executive spearheading design efforts at io, clarified in a court statement that there are no current plans for io to create custom-molded earpiece products, further separating the company from the in-ear device arena.

### Conclusion

The ongoing legal conflict and insights from court documents illuminate a complicated terrain for OpenAI’s hardware ventures. While the company contends that its future offerings will not align with conventional in-ear or wearable designs, its investigation into ergonomic technologies implies a sophisticated approach to product innovation. The industry is poised for further updates as OpenAI and Jony Ive’s team persist in honing their vision for groundbreaking AI-driven hardware solutions.

VSCO Unveils ‘Capture’: A Dedicated iPhone Camera Application with Film-Inspired Filters

**Visual Supply Co. Unveils Capture: A New Standalone Camera Application for iPhone**

Visual Supply Co., celebrated for its widely used VSCO: Photo Editor, is poised to shake up the competitive arena of third-party camera applications with the debut of its latest standalone camera application, Capture. This cutting-edge app is designed to elevate the iPhone photography experience, offering users a refreshing alternative to the default Camera app from Apple.

**Navigating a Competitive Landscape**

With Capture, VSCO enters a burgeoning market of third-party camera apps that are transforming the way users take photos on their iPhones. Recent innovations in this domain include Adobe’s Project Indigo and other significant applications like Halide, which appeal to users looking for more than what Apple’s integrated camera features can provide.

**Notable Features of Capture**

As reported exclusively by Bloomberg’s Chris Welch, Capture will enable users to select from 50 of VSCO’s beloved photo filter presets during the shooting process. This functionality is intended to simplify the photography workflow by allowing users to apply their preferred aesthetic prior to taking a picture, eliminating the need for extensive post-shoot editing.

Eric Wittman, CEO of Visual Supply Co., highlighted the rationale behind Capture, noting, “Photographers are increasingly opting out of using complex editing software, favoring apps that simplify capturing that perfect moment with an intended look right at the time of shooting.” This aligns with the app’s vision of enhancing the photography journey while retaining artistic control.

**Photography Modes and Adjustments**

Capture provides two shooting modes: an automatic mode for quick photographs and a manual mode that offers advanced settings including shutter speed, exposure compensation, and distinctive lighting effects such as bloom and halation. This adaptability is designed for both casual users and dedicated photographers seeking more control over their shots.

**Usability and Release Information**

Crucially, Capture will not necessitate a paid subscription for usage, although a VSCO account will be required to leverage its features. After capturing their photos, users can choose to export them directly or transfer them to the main VSCO app for further editing.

At present, Capture is scheduled to launch in select test markets, including Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, with a wider release anticipated in the United States later this summer.

**Final Thoughts**

As Visual Supply Co. gears up to introduce Capture, the app promises a distinctive take on iPhone photography, emphasizing immediate aesthetic integration and user-friendly adjustments. With the rising trend of third-party camera applications, Capture is set to draw in both casual photographers and enthusiasts desiring a more personalized shooting experience.

Apple Investigates Mira Murati’s AI Venture After Leaving OpenAI, Intends to Enhance Collaboration

Following a report last week indicating that Apple was in internal discussions regarding a possible acquisition of Perplexity, Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter disclosed that Apple also considered a potential agreement with another significant player in the AI domain: Mira Murati. Here’s what transpired.

Murati, who gained prominence as OpenAI’s former Chief Technology Officer, exited the company last year amid boardroom turmoil that momentarily resulted in CEO Sam Altman’s removal. In fact, as highlighted in the book “The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future,” Murati and OpenAI co-founder and Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever were pivotal figures behind the scenes during the surreal boardroom coup that briefly ousted Altman. Murati even took on the role of OpenAI’s interim CEO for a brief period before, in an ironic twist, threatening to resign unless Altman was reinstated. By that time, it was evident that the coup had failed, and Murati, like others involved, reversed course to preserve both the company and their own positions.

Less than a year later, Murati departed OpenAI and established a new AI startup named Thinking Machines Lab (by then, Ilya Sutskever had also left to create his own company, Safe SuperIntelligence). Now, according to Gurman, it seems Apple met with her earlier this year to explore a potential acquisition.

### What is Thinking Machines Lab?

Murati’s company epitomizes the current AI ecosystem: While it lacks a product at this moment, it has just completed the largest seed funding round ever for any startup, raising $2 billion led by Andreessen Horowitz. This placed the company’s valuation at an impressive US$10 billion.

So far, the publicly disclosed purpose of Thinking Machines Lab is to create “a future where everyone has access to the knowledge and tools to make AI work for their unique needs and goals.” Here’s a quote from their launch manifesto, which you can read in full on their website:

> “The scientific community’s understanding of frontier AI systems lags behind rapidly advancing capabilities. Knowledge of how these systems are trained is concentrated within the top research labs, limiting both the public discourse on AI and people’s abilities to use AI effectively. And, despite their potential, these systems remain difficult for people to customize to their specific needs and values. To bridge the gaps, we’re building Thinking Machines Lab to make AI systems more widely understood, customizable and generally capable.”

Regarding Apple’s interest in the company, in contrast to the ongoing internal assessments concerning Perplexity, discussions with Murati reportedly “never progressed.” Here’s Gurman:

> “Separately, Apple met earlier this year with Mira Murati — the former chief technology officer of OpenAI — to discuss a potential deal for her new AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab. The talks never progressed to an advanced stage.”

### 9to5Mac’s Take

That being said, I’d be surprised if Apple isn’t engaging with every other promising AI startup available, equally brimming with skilled engineers, including Ilya Sutskever’s Safe SuperIntelligence, or the French startup Mistral.

To be completely candid, Perplexity appears to be the least compatible culturally among the contenders, having faced its share of drama and controversy regarding data collection. Although the company seems to be performing better now and offers an intriguing product, it is also still embroiled in more legal issues than Apple would likely want to inherit if it were to invest.