Many people feel that phones control their lives. They can’t go about an hour without their phone. According to a survey by Harmony Healthcare IT, 69% of participants felt addicted to their phones (with some health issues). About 76% felt anxious without their phones, and 55% felt less socially participative. Now OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman says that “Your phone is outdated” and it needs to do more than just calling, texting, and social media (rather be a constant companion). Well, in a battle between fighting phone addiction and new technological advances, which side are you on? Here’s what he said about it on the People by WTF podcast with co-founder of Zerodha Nikhil Kamath.
Why Did Sam Altman Say Your Phone Is “Outdated?”
According to him, phones are passive tools. They are not as involved in life as when you aren’t holding them. He stressed how phones and computers work in an on and off mode. And how they are only used for calls, search, messages, then they are put away and nothing more. And so, Sam Altman says phones are “outdated.”
What Altman Wants Instead?
According to him, AI is a constant companion, not just a tool. He wants:
- Today’s hardware isn’t enough; it needs AI that can stay with you, all the time.
- To know the context of your day, let’s say, what you’re up to, where you are, what’s coming up, etc.
- To be proactive, meaning you don’t have to command it, it works even before you ask for it.
- For instance, you don’t need to constantly check your calendar. The AI should whisper, “Hey, you have a meeting in 10 minutes. Want me to book a cab?”
- One may think that these are done with our phones; however, they are all manually done.
- Fewer flat screens and more natural and seamless interactions.
OpenAIi’s New Hardware With Jony Ive
Jony Ive is the renowned Apple designer behind the look of the iPhone, iPod, and MacBook. He is now working with OpenAI. This collaboration is significant for OpenAI because they are working together to create innovative devices, especially for AI. These devices are nothing like the phones or computers we have today. According to Altman, these devices “won’t need a case.” He states that these devices feature durable and practical designs.
Over the past two years, Sam Altman and Jony Ive have been exploring different ideas. They are experimenting extensively so that AI is always present, not something one will pick up and put down. Devices like:
- Smart headphones.
- Wearable devices.
- Smart cameras.
Sam Altman bought Ive’s company LoveFrom for $6.5 billion (July 9, 2025) to build full-fledged AI-integrated hardware. That’s how serious Sam Altman is about the new age revolutionary hardware.
The Big Catch Is Trust and Privacy…
Privacy is such a compromised subject. With every touch, click, tap, and swipe, people are already leaving a digital footprint. The idea might manage calendar, emails, messages, reminders, payments, and more. However, for such a huge shift in mobile technology, there needs to be full access to your life. That brings us to serious questions like:
How much of your life should AI control?
Who has access to that data in the background?
What happens if the AI makes the wrong decision given it the access?
And many others. Do you buy into Sam Altman’s idea, too? Or just comfortable with the way things are?
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