Company Executive Discusses AI Hardware Shift From Smartphones to Wearables

A semiconductor company executive said the firm is working with nearly all major artificial intelligence developers on secret device projects that could replace the smartphone as the center of digital life. The executive declined to provide details on the projects but confirmed collaboration with OpenAI, Meta and other unnamed AI companies during an interview recorded at the company's San Diego headquarters.

The devices would take the form of items people wear such as glasses, jewelry, pins and pendants rather than objects that are held. The executive described a future in which an autonomous agent serves as the hub of digital activity by integrating inputs from multiple wearable sensors.

This agent would understand what users say, hear and see to perform tasks without direct commands.

The executive outlined what the company calls an "ecosystem of you" built around glasses with forward-facing cameras, earbuds that capture clear audio, and an agent that operates across those devices. The executive said this year will see the introduction of such agents that gain autonomy over routine activities.

Use cases include an agent automatically paying a restaurant bill when a user looks at it, comparing prices on products, or calling a doctor's office to reschedule an appointment. The executive expressed confidence that society will adapt to these systems despite initial concerns about ceding control to autonomous technology.

An analyst reported in late April that the semiconductor company and another chip designer were jointly developing a custom processor for an OpenAI smartphone to be manufactured by a third firm with mass production targeted for 2028. The report projected annual shipments of 300 million to 400 million units.