OpenAI Could Enter the Consumer Hardware Space
A brand new trademark utility was filed on January 31 with the USPTO, the place the applicant’s identify was OpenAI. Typically, corporations file trademark purposes for quite a lot of causes, and the submitting doesn’t bear any extra implications. However, in OpenAI’s case, the applying mentions numerous {hardware} gadgets, that probably trace on the firm’s ambitions of getting into the area.
In the products and providers part, the applying mentions gadgets corresponding to earphones, headphones, smartwatches, good jewelry, media streaming gadgets, AR/VR headsets, glasses, and user-programmable humanoid robots. There have been additionally hints for AI chipsets that leverage “quantum computing assets to optimise AI mannequin efficiency”.
Separately, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told the South Korean outlet The Elec on Monday that the corporate is taking a look at growing generative AI-powered gadgets through partnerships with a number of corporations.
Humanoid robots have additionally been a subject of dialogue throughout the firm. A report from final 12 months claimed that the corporate is contemplating growing robots that look human-like. In 2024, a number of job listings belonging to OpenAI have been additionally noticed the place the AI agency was on the lookout for analysis engineers to affix a robotics workforce. Notably, OpenAI can be an investor in a number of robotics startups, corresponding to Figure AI, 1X Technologies, and Physical Intelligence.
The point out of “user-programmed” within the utility itemizing can be attention-grabbing. This means that OpenAI may be inclined in the direction of constructing humanoid robots that may carry out a variety of duties and might be customised for particular duties. Such robots could possibly be powered by generative AI and could possibly be educated in simulation. Notably, Nvidia just lately launched its Cosmos platform that may simulate real-world situations to coach robots and autonomous automobiles.
However, simply because the corporate has talked about numerous gadgets within the trademark submitting, it doesn’t essentially imply that OpenAI will begin constructing and launching these merchandise within the subsequent few years. As of now, there aren’t any public information of the corporate engaged on any {hardware} product.