Former Apple executive Tang Tan is set to collaborate with renowned iPhone designer Jony Ive and AI expert Sam Altman on a new venture focusing on artificial intelligence hardware, reports Bloomberg.
Sources familiar with the matter have revealed that Tan, an outgoing executive from Apple, will be a part of Ive’s design firm LoveFrom, contributing to the design and functionality of new AI devices.
Since Ive’s departure from Apple in 2019 to then establishing his design firm LoveFrom, this is seen as the next big thing for the famed designer. Ive, known for designing iconic Apple products such as the iMac, iPhone, and iPad under Steve Jobs, aims to transform this AI device project into a standalone company. However, the development is still in its nascent stages, primarily concentrating on talent acquisition and conceptualization.
Tan is expected to lead the hardware engineering aspect of the project while at LoveFrom. His exit from Apple as the vice president of iPhone and watch product design was recently reported, with his official departure scheduled for February.
Sam Altman, formerly the CEO of OpenAI, plans to provide the software infrastructure for this venture. Altman, who faced a brief dismissal from OpenAI in November before being reinstated, has reportedly engaged in fundraising activities for this and other projects, including discussions with SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son for potential multibillion-dollar investments.
Current concepts under exploration include AI devices for home use, says sources.
Tan’s departure from Apple highlights a broader trend of design talent leaving the company. Since 2019, approximately 14 members of Ive’s team at Apple have exited, leaving only a handful of designers who worked under Ive at Apple.
Apple, dealing with this wave of departures, chose not to appoint a new head of design following the exit of Evans Hankey, Ive’s successor. Instead, Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO, has been overseeing the design team.
LoveFrom, on the other hand, has been building a portfolio of prestigious clients, including Airbnb, Ferrari, and Moncler. The firm had a three-year consulting arrangement with Apple, which concluded in 2022. Over 20 former Apple employees have since joined LoveFrom.
It’s clear Ive has some pull on drawing out his former designers from Apple. You can bet Apple CEO Tim Cook isn’t happy about that. Apple hasn’t made any truly ‘breakthrough’ products lately aside from the upcoming (and expensive) Vision Pro headset.
Recent departures from Apple include UI design leader Patrick Coffman and Colin Burns, who is set to leave in January. Burns heads the Interaction Architecture team at Apple, focusing on early-stage hardware and software concepts. Shota Aoyagi, another alum of Ive’s Apple design team, has also joined LoveFrom recently.
