OpenAI’s COO says AI needs new devices, teases future beyond screens

OpenAI’s COO says AI needs new devices

OpenAI Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap said Thursday that the rapid rise of artificial intelligence has created an opening to reimagine the devices we use daily—moving beyond screens and keyboards toward something more “ambient” and personal.

Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything event, Lightcap said the goal is to build an “ambient computer layer,” one that allows AI to integrate more seamlessly into people’s lives without requiring them to constantly look at a screen. “There’s a lot that we have to do to develop models to succeed in that environment,” he added.

While Lightcap acknowledged that he has “no idea” what kind of device OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple design chief Jony Ive are currently developing, he confirmed that the project is being kept intentionally secret. The duo made headlines earlier this month when OpenAI acquired Ive’s company LoveFrom io in an all-equity deal valuing it at $6.5 billion. Ive and his team, known for designing the iPhone, are now taking over creative and design leadership at OpenAI.

The hush-hush nature of the collaboration has fueled speculation about a potential AI-first hardware product, possibly one that could rival or replace the smartphone in some contexts.

AI enterprise adoption grows rapidly

On the business side, Lightcap said OpenAI’s enterprise customer base has grown to three million companies—up from two million just three months ago. “We are growing quite fast in enterprise,” he said, adding that the company is working with the California State University System to roll out OpenAI tools to approximately 500,000 students and faculty. He described it as the nation’s “first AI-powered university system.”

Global ambitions and Abu Dhabi expansion

Lightcap also confirmed OpenAI’s plans to co-develop a large-scale AI data center in Abu Dhabi, marking its first major infrastructure project outside of the United States. He cited the United Arab Emirates as a “technology-forward” nation that aligns with OpenAI’s vision for global growth.

Asked whether political speech restrictions in the U.A.E. would limit ChatGPT’s functionality there, Lightcap said he was “unsure,” leaving questions about local moderation unanswered.